Newborn Screening: Why It's Crucial for Your Baby's Health

According to U.S. law, all newborns are required to undergo blood screening tests in the hours and days after birth. Laws vary from state to state so the specific conditions for which a newborn is screened will vary, depending on your state of residence.

Role of Screening

• The newborn blood screening tests for various hormonal, metabolic, genetic and functional disorders, says the March of Dimes. Many of these conditions have no physical symptoms, so the tests are the only way of detecting a potential health problem.

Importance

• The blood test can detect conditions that can very quickly cause serious illness, interfere with brain development, or even lead to death---so detecting a health problem at the earliest possible stage gives a baby the best chance of avoiding complications.

Disorders

• While some states screen for more than 50 health conditions, all states are required to test for phenylketonuria , hypothyroidism, galactosemia and sickle cell disease, according to the March of Dimes.

Considerations

• An abnormal test result does not necessarily mean there is a problem, says BabyCenter. The blood test only screens for disorders, it does not diagnose them. Therefore, an abnormal result only means your baby will require a diagnostic test to determine whether she is affected by a given condition.

You Should Know

• If you'd like to have your newborn screened for more disorders than your state requires, you can have his blood sent to a commercial or non-profit lab for further testing.