[In-person] Separated at Birth

Urine Drug Screening (UDS) is often used to detect prenatal substance exposure but is not predictive of ongoing risk to infants. Despite its limitations and documented racial and socioeconomic biases, it contributes to legal surveillance and criminalization, resulting in reduced treatment for birthing parents, increased neonatal abstinence syndrome rates, and family separation. Dr. Bhadra-Heintz will review the literature on the subject, while Dr. Kravitz will present data from Penn. Dr. James will outline the new joint Obstetric and Neonatal UDS Guideline aimed at reducing unnecessary screenings. Dr. Sarita Sonalkar will moderate the discussion to inquire about concepts of reproductive justice and health equity, and relationships urine drug screening to overall health of populations throughout our health system and across the United States.  

Speakers:  

• Dr. Nia Bhadra Heintz, Co-Director of the Perinatal Resources for Opioid Use Disorder Program at Penn, Dr.  

• Dr. Elizabeth Kravitz, resident physician in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn 

• Dr. Abike James, Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn and co-lead of DISPEL (the Ob/gyn Health Equity Working Group), and faculty at the Penn Carey Law School. 

• Moderated by Dr. Sarita Sonalkar, faculty in the Division of Complex Family Planning, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and co-lead of DISPEL. 

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Host or Publisher Penn Medicine Center for Health Equity Advancement