Resolution Urges Standard Blood Clot Testing for All Prenatal Care to Prevent Miscarriages

This resolution is essentially Congress saying, “Hey, medical community, we should probably start testing all pregnant people for Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS).” APS is an autoimmune disorder that makes blood clot too easily, and it’s a known—and treatable—cause of serious pregnancy complications like miscarriages and stillbirths. Right now, testing for APS is only recommended after someone has already experienced a tragedy, like a late-term loss or multiple early miscarriages. This resolution pushes for a shift to proactive screening, making a simple blood test part of routine prenatal care from the start.

The Problem: Waiting Until It’s Too Late

Think of it this way: APS is responsible for about 15% of repeat pregnancy losses, but because testing is reactive, not proactive, we don't catch it until after the damage is done. The current guidelines basically require families to suffer significant loss before doctors look for this specific, treatable cause. This resolution directly challenges that approach. It argues that since APS can be easily detected with a blood test and managed effectively with blood thinners, making it standard screening could save families a lot of heartache and improve public health outcomes significantly.

The Ask: Updating the Playbook

This measure isn't a federal mandate forcing every doctor to change their practice tomorrow; it’s a strong public statement urging the professional groups that write the rules—like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)—to update their official recommendations. It’s a call to action for medical associations to review the evidence and incorporate APS testing into the standard prenatal screening playbook. If they agree and change the guidelines, it means that routine check-ups would include this test, moving it from a specialized diagnostic tool to a preventative measure.

Real-World Impact: What This Means for Expecting Parents

If this resolution successfully prompts a change in medical guidelines, the biggest winners are expecting parents. For a busy person planning a family, this means one more blood draw early in pregnancy, but the payoff could be huge: early detection of a condition that might otherwise lead to devastating loss. For someone who tests positive for APS, treatment is typically straightforward—a course of blood thinners—to ensure a safer pregnancy. This is moving the needle from reactive crisis management to proactive, preventative care. While this change might increase initial costs for insurance providers covering the now-routine test, the long-term benefit of preventing costly complications like stillbirths and complex care associated with high-risk pregnancies could balance the scales. Essentially, this resolution advocates for using simple science to prevent complex tragedy.