What is Newborn Screening?

Newborn screening is a public health service done

in each newborn baby. Every newborn is tested

NEWBORN for a group of health disorders that aren't

otherwise found at birth. Early diagnosis and

initiation of treatment, help ensure normal

SCREENING
Your baby deserves a healthy start
growth and development of the affected

individual.

NIH Newborn Screening

How Is Newborn Screening

Reference Center
Done? All Newborn Screening Centers shall coordinate

Screening is done within 48 hours or at least 24

with the NIH (National Institutes of Health)

hours from birth but not later than 3 days after

Newborn Screening Reference Center for

complete delivery. Then it is blotched on a special

consolidation of patient databases. The NIH

absorbent card and dried for at least 4 hours.

Newborn Screening Reference Center shall

The procedure may be done by the physician,

maintain a national database of patients

nurse, midwife, or medical technologist. tested and a registry for each condition.

NBS Result:
When NBS
Results can be claimed from the health facility

needs to be
where ENBS was availed. Normal NBS results are

repeated? available by 7 - 14 working days from the time

samples are received.

If screened prior to 24 hours of

age, a repeat screen is required

A NEGATIVE SCREEN means that the ENBS
at 14 days of life. A repeat
result is normal.
screen is also recommended at

A POSITIVE SCREEN means that the newborn

14 days of age for all premature

must be brought back to his/her health

or sick infants. practitioner for further testing.
 What conditions does
Goals and

NBS look for?

clinical

significance

of NBS
It's goal is the early detection of children at

increased risk for selected metabolic or genetic

diseases so that medical treatment can be

promptly initiated to avert metabolic crises

and prevent irreversible neurological and

developmental sequelae.

Newborn screening is an important public health

What to
tool that can help ensure that newborns

receive the best possible start in life. By

expect (FAQ) identifying and treating certain conditions

early, newborn screening can improve health

A nurse or medical assistant will use a small

outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and

sterile lancet to prick your baby’s heel. The only

improve quality of life for affected individuals

pain the baby may feel is that of a quick prick, and

and their families.
it will go away quickly.
There is a very slight risk of infection of the

puncture site or heel. But it will be performed with

a sterile lancet that has been cleansed, which

means the risk for infection would be extremely

small.
Newborn screening is only a “screening” test, it is

not a “diagnostic” test. That's why it is important

to have the follow-up testing.