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Drug Testing

A collage shows images of a pregnant person in a hospital gown holding their belly, a doctor holding a scalpel, a doctor administering an epidural injection on the back of a patient, a hospital gown, a hair net, a doctor writing on a clipboard and a pregnant woman taking pills out of a bottle.
Investigate This February 12
Journalists: New Data to Investigate the Consequences of Hospital Drug Testing at Childbirth
We collected child welfare data in 21 states to report on the consequences of faulty drug tests for pregnant women, including referrals to law enforcement.
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A photo shows a Black woman, with red hair and a white sweater, wiping the face of her young daughter while she sits on top of a kitchen table. Her eldest daughter, wearing pink hair ribbons and a blue Care Bears shirt, stands next to her while she looks at a phone placed on the table.
Feature February 10
Tens of Thousands of Mothers Were Flagged to Police Over Flawed Drug Tests at Childbirth
The Marshall Project found more than 70,000 cases referred to law enforcement over allegations of substance use during pregnancy — and that’s a significant undercount.
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Feature February 10
How We Counted Referrals to Police About Substance Use During Pregnancy
New analysis finds the parents of 70,000 newborns were reported to law enforcement over substance use allegations, often based on flawed drug tests.
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[Use this form](https://airtable.com/appR7SW9BhPZGdXp9/pagui3EF1KWn7G7hK/form) to tell us if you’ve had a brush with law enforcement during your pregnancy, labor or delivery.
Get Involved February 10
Investigated for a Positive Drug Test While Giving Birth? Tell Us What Happened Next.
Help our team continue their reporting on referrals to law enforcement for alleged drug use during pregnancy by sharing your story.
By The Marshall Project
A woman sits in silhouette in front of a large glass window. She's inside an office, sitting on a chair and hunched over with her hands folded on her lap.
Closing Argument August 14, 2025
Drug Overdoses Are Skyrocketing Among Mothers. Why Is Rehab Unavailable?
In her new book, ‘Rehab: An American Scandal,’ Shoshana Walter explores how the giant substance treatment industry keeps failing many people desperate for help.
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A White woman, wearing glasses and a red dress, holds the hands of her young daughter, who is wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and patterned dress. They stand in front of their house.
News July 27
How Faulty Drug Tests Turn New Parents’ Lives Upside-Down
Watch our joint investigation with CBS Sunday Morning into how hospitals use unreliable test results to report parents to child welfare agencies.
By The Marshall Project
Three items are arranged on a white surface: a salad in a white bowl, a copy of a sonogram, and a printout of a false positive drug test result.
Feature June 9, 2025
From New York to Arizona, More States Consider Curbing Drug Testing at Childbirth
Some bills followed an investigation by The Marshall Project and Reveal that exposed the harms of widespread drug testing of pregnant patients.
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A White female doctor, wearing glasses, a gray jacket and blue scrubs, sits at her desk. Papers of children's hand drawings hang on the wall.
Feature April 2, 2025
Why Some Doctors Are Pushing to End Routine Drug Testing During Childbirth
Hospitals routinely report parents to child welfare authorities based on error-prone drug tests. Some hospitals are changing policy as a result.
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A White woman, wearing glasses and a red dress, sits at the front door of her house. One of her children stands behind her inside. A children's bike is stationed on the right side of the door.
Feature December 11, 2024
Hospitals Gave Patients Meds During Childbirth, Then Reported Them For Positive Drug Tests
Mothers were reported after they were given medications used routinely for pain or in epidurals, to reduce anxiety or to manage blood pressure during cesarean sections.
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A person wearing a blue uniform and black messenger bag walks toward the entrance of a hospital with a blue sign that reads, "Virtua Health Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital."
Closing Argument October 5, 2024
Drug Testing of Pregnant Patients Is Discriminatory, Lawsuit Claims
The Marshall Project recently investigated how faulty drug tests at hospitals lead to pregnant women being reported to authorities and at times separated from their children.
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