Washington’s prenatal tests, congenital and heritable conditions rules establish standards for screening and diagnostic procedures for prenatal diagnosis of congenital disorders. The rule also establishes criteria and timelines regarding the availability and use of prenatal tests for health care providers to share with pregnant women and couples.
The State Board of Health (Board) is seeking feedback on draft revisions to the rule until Friday, March 19. The Board is considering revisions to bring the rule into alignment with national standards of care and current best practices and improve the rule’s clarity and usability. Email your comments to Samantha Pskowski, State Board of Health Policy Advisor. Please feel free to share the draft rule with others.
The Board has authority to set standards for screening and diagnostic tests during pregnancy. The Board established the standards to ensure pregnant women covered under certain plans have access to accurate information about prenatal screening and testing procedures and will be able to choose with confidence whether to undergo prenatal testing based on their personal belief.
At their January 13, 2021 meeting, Board members voted to continue their decision to adopt the proposed rule until their June meeting. Members discussed the importance of providing opportunity to review public comment and continue engagement with interested parties to refine rule language regarding prenatal genetic counseling and prenatal tests.
More information, including a rule timeline and other materials, can be found on the prenatal tests rule web page.
