Tests for congenital disorders – Wis. Stat. Ann. § 253.13

Tests for Congenital Disorders

Physicians or nurses that attend to births in hospitals or maternity homes must test an infant's blood for "congenital and metabolic disorders" prior to discharging the infant from the hospital or maternity home. The department of health services may also establish urine testing for congenital disorders, but may not require participation in such testing.  Physicians and nurses may not conduct this testing without informing the infant’s parents or guardians of the purposes of the testing and giving them an opportunity to decline the urine testing or object to both the blood and urine testing due to their religious beliefs.

The results of blood and urine tests conducted pursuant to this section and any related information is confidential and may only be disclosed in the following limited circumstances: (1) the state laboratory of hygiene may disclose test results to a physician for the purpose of informing the infant's parents or guardians; (2)  the department may release statistical information so long as no identifying information is present; and (3) The state laboratory of hygiene must give the department the names and addresses of an infant's parents if the infant tests positive for a congenital or metabolic disorder.  The law further sets forth requirement that the Department disseminate public health information regarding congenital disorders, and provide certain services to afflicted familiies.