Committee passes bill to require hepatitis C screening in pregnancy following health department testimony

The Arkansas Department of Health presented HB1136 to the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, saying the measure would align state practice with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations to screen pregnant women for hepatitis C.

Dr. William Greenfield and Tamara Baker told the committee that hepatitis C cases have been increasing and that identifying infected pregnant women is important because the infection can be transmitted to newborns during delivery and early treatment opportunities are limited for newborns. Dr. Greenfield said Arkansas has about 36,000 deliveries per year and that the state's review showed roughly 200 pregnancies affected by hepatitis C annually. He described screening as cost-saving compared with lifetime treatment costs for untreated infection.

Witnesses explained the disease is bloodborne, can be transmitted during vaginal or cesarean delivery, and that infants typically cannot receive treatment until around age 3. Committee members expressed support; the bill was approved by voice vote with no roll-call tally in the record.