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Bill Passes House and Senate
and goes to the President’s Desk
(Washington, D.C.) Congressman Tim Ryan—the lead Democratic
cosponsor of the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed
Conditions Awareness Act—praised Congressional passage of the bill’s Senate
companion yesterday.
The bill provides resources
to women whose born or unborn child receives a diagnosis for Down
Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Cystic Fibrosis, or other prenatally and postnatally
diagnosed conditions. The bill will make sure that women receive up-to-date
scientific information about life expectancy, intellectual and functional
development, prenatal and postnatal treatment options, and referrals to
supportive services such as hotlines, websites, information clearinghouses, and
parent support networks and programs.
“As much as 90% of pregnancies with a diagnosis of Down
Syndrome are aborted. This should not and need not be the case. We will bring
every resource to bear to ensure that women are able to raise a child with the
best information and the best services available,” said Congressman Ryan. "A pregnant woman should never feel that her options are limited by a lack of
public support for the types of social services that could help her, her family
and her baby.”
Other provisions of the bill would include identifying the
number of cases recognized through prenatal testing, and requires written
consent for data collection and any information that could identify the patient.
The bill also calls on the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop
guidelines for health care providers involved in prenatal testing on how to
deliver the information to their patients and protect their confidentiality.
“This is common ground legislation that will benefit both
women and children. We must do more to get women the support they need—and this
bill is crucial step in that direction,” added Congressman
Ryan.
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