THE WEEKLY REVEAL

Hello! In this issue:

• We partner with The Marshall Project to investigate error-prone drug tests with massive consequences.
• In many states, pregnant women are being reported to child welfare agencies for taking prescribed addiction-treatment medications—and some are losing custody of their babies.

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THIS WEEK’S PODCAST

She Ate a Poppy Seed Salad. Child Services Took Her Baby.  

It’s a routine request for someone who’s about to give birth: pee in a cup. But the cheap, easy drug test that follows can have massive and unjust implications for a new mother.

Urine drug tests can be misinterpreted. False positives are shockingly common. This week on Reveal, we partner with The Marshall Project’s Shoshana Walter to investigate the error-prone drug tests that can determine whether brand-new parents are allowed to take their newborn home.

A Quote to Remember

“‘Mother is neglecting the child due to substance abuse.’ I don't know how they could say that.”

Jade Dass was taking medication to treat her addiction to opioids before she became pregnant. Scientific studies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that taking addiction-treatment medications during pregnancy leads to the best outcomes for both mothers and babies.

Listen: They Followed Doctors’ Orders. The State Took Their Babies.

Dip Deeper: Read Walter’s investigation in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine.

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