Delaware Code Title 16. Health and Safety § 708. Prenatal standard tests for syphilis, gonorrhea and other STDs

(a) Every health-care professional qualified to attend a pregnant woman in this State during gestation shall take or cause to be taken suitable specimens of such woman and submit such specimens to an approved laboratory for standard tests for syphilis and gonorrhea, chlamydia and other such tests for STDs as may be designated by the Department of Health and Social Services.  Every other person permitted by law to attend upon pregnant women in the State but not permitted by law to take such specimens shall cause such specimens of such pregnant woman to be taken by a qualified health-care professional and submitted to an approved laboratory for standard tests for gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia and other such tests for STDs as may be designated by the Department of Health and Social Services.  The specimens shall be taken at the time of the first examination relating to the current pregnancy and a second specimen during the third trimester of pregnancy which is in addition to or exclusive of the test taken at delivery.  Every pregnant woman shall permit the specimens to be taken by a qualified health care professional as herein provided.  However, the Director or the Director's authorized deputy within the county wherein any person affected by this section resides may waive the requirements of this section if the Director or deputy is satisfied by written affidavit or other notarized written proof that the tests required by this section are contrary to the tenets and practices of the religious teachings of which the applicant is an adherent, and that the public health and welfare would not be injuriously affected by such waiver.

(b) The term “approved laboratory” means a laboratory approved for this purpose by the Department of Health and Social Services.  Standard tests for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea are ones recognized as such by the Department of Health and Social Services.

(c) The laboratory tests required by this section shall be made on request without charge by the Department of Health and Social Services.