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Perinatal HIV Prevention

HIV/AIDS

Targeted Outreach for Pregnant Women Act

The Targeted Outreach for Pregnant Women Act (TOPWA) was created in 1999 to reach pregnant women who have HIV and high-risk pregnant women who are not receiving services. TOPWA programs help under-served women access the medical and social services needed to lower their risk of substance use or of acquiring or transmitting HIV. TOPWA outreach workers go into untraditional venues/locations in high-risk communities to identify and enroll pregnant women who have not yet accessed adequate care and treatment.

There are funded TOPWA programs located in eight Florida counties: Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pinellas and St Lucie. Any pregnant substance using woman with or at risk of acquiring HIV is eligible to receive TOPWA services. In addition to accessing prenatal care, women enrolled in TOPWA can receive assistance with HIV testing, family planning services, enrollment in ADAP or Medicaid, and HIV prevention and education.

 

Florida Administrative Code 64D-3.042, STD Testing Related to Pregnancy

 1.Practitioners attending a woman for prenatal care shall cause the woman to be tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis as follows:

 (a) At initial examination related to her current pregnancy; and again

 (b) At 28 to 32 weeks gestation.

2. Exceptions to the testing outlined in subsection (1) above are as follows: 

 (a) A woman, who tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) during the initial examination related to her current pregnancy, need not be re-tested at 28-32 weeks gestation.

 (b) A woman, with documentation of HIV infection or AIDS need not be re-tested during the current pregnancy.

3. Women who appear at delivery or within 30 days postpartum with:

 (a) No record of prenatal care; or

 (b) Prenatal care with no record of testing;

 (c) Prenatal care with no record of testing after the 27th week of gestation shall be considered at a high risk for sexually transmissible diseases and shall be tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HIV and syphilis prior to discharge.

To read the full rule, visit Florida Administrative Code & Register.