What is a newborn screening card?
First, hospital staff fill out a newborn screening card with the infant’s vital information—name, sex, weight, and date and time of birth—and the date and time of the blood collection. Part of the card consists of special absorbent paper used to collect the blood sample.
How do you get a newborn metabolic screen?
The Newborn Metabolic Screen is performed by pricking your baby’s heel and putting a few drops of blood onto special filter paper. The filter paper is allowed to dry and is then sent to the State Health Department. The blood is analyzed by the lab to identify babies who are at higher risk to have a medical condition.
How accurate is the newborn screening test?
The PPVs, however, range from 0.5% to 6.0%. Consequently, on average, there are more than 50 false-positive results for every true-positive result identified through newborn screening in the United States.
What is the proper procedure for collecting a newborn screening card?
Touch the first circle on the newborn screening card gently against the large blood drop, and in one step, allow the blood to soak through the filter paper and fill the circle. Do not press the paper directly against the baby’s heel. Each of the five circles need to be filled and saturated through.
What blood test do newborns get?
Newborn screening is a public health service done in each U.S. state. Every newborn is tested for a group of health disorders that aren’t otherwise found at birth. With a simple blood test, doctors can check for rare genetic, hormone-related, and metabolic conditions that can cause serious health problems.
Who will collect the sample for newborn screening?
The blood sample for ENBS may be collected by any of the following: physician, nurse, medical technologist or trained midwife.
What are the diseases detected in newborn screening?
The most common newborn screening tests in the US include those for hypothyrodism (underactivity of the thyroid gland), PKU (phenylketonuria), galactosemia, and sickle cell disease. Testing for hypothyroidism and PKU is required in virtually all States.
What is the name of the newborn metabolic test?
Newborn metabolic screening is a free test that screens for over 20 rare but potentially serious conditions that can make your baby very sick. The screening test is also called the ‘heel prick’, ‘Guthrie’ or ‘PKU’ test.
How does a midwife do a newborn metabolic screening?
Newborn metabolic screening. Your midwife will collect a small amount of blood from your baby’s heel onto a blood spot card. Finding out early that your baby has a condition means that treatment can start quickly, before your baby becomes sick.
How does the Minnesota newborn screening program work?
The Minnesota Newborn Screening Program uses blood collection standards developed specifically for newborn screening programs by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The primary goal of these standards is to ensure the quality of blood spots collected from newborns.
How to contact the NBS newborn screening laboratory?
The information has been updated to reflect recent program changes. If we can be of assistance, please contact the Laboratory Services Section Newborn Screening Laboratory at (512) 776-7333 or 1-888-963-7111 x 7333. Thank you for your continued support.