What is Newborn Screening?
Newborn screening involves routine tests recommended for all babies. Between 24-48 hours of life a few drops of blood are collected from a baby’s heel and spotted on a special piece of absorbent paper called a blotter. The blotters are tested for over 25 rare, treatable conditions. These tests are done because a newborn can look healthy but have one of these conditions and need treatment. We want to find babies with these conditions so that we can start treatment to keep them as healthy as possible. If there is follow-up needed from newborn screening, the IWK team contacts health care providers and families.
What conditions are screened?
The conditions on newborn screening are rare, meaning they are each found in less than 1 in 2000 babies (0.05%). These conditions can be grouped into the following categories:
- metabolic conditions
- blood conditions
- endocrine conditions
- immune conditions
- cystic fibrosis
View the complete list of conditions
Maritime Newborn Screening (MNBS)
Maritime Newborn Screening is a service provided by the IWK to the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island (PEI). There is an Advisory committee with representation from all Maritime provinces to provide oversight and guidance.
Maritime Newborn Screening has working groups to address specific challenges and find solutions within the newborn screening process. We strive to provide a high level of patient-centered care to Maritime families.
MNBS Processes
There are different processes that are followed depending on a baby’s newborn screen result.
SCREEN NEGATIVE/NORMAL:
- Most babies will have a newborn screen result that is negative/normal. This means there is a decreased chance for a baby to have one of the conditions on the newborn screen. There is no follow-up required for a negative/normal result. The results are automatically sent to the baby’s primary care provider or clinic.
SCREEN FOLLOW-UP:
- Some babies (~10%) will require a repeat of the newborn screen, meaning another blotter sample is taken. The follow-up sample might be taken as soon as possible, at two weeks of life, or at another time point. A repeat can be needed for many different reasons. Some reasons include if a sample is of insufficient quality (e.g., not enough sample, collected too early), if a baby is born at less than 34 weeks gestation or has a birth weight of under 2000g, if the baby is a same sex multiple, or if clarification is needed for a specific condition on the newborn screen. If a repeat is needed for a specific condition on the newborn screen, it does not mean the baby has this condition.
- The IWK newborn screening team will alert the primary care provider (PCP) or the hospital clinic if a follow-up is needed. The PCP or hospital clinic will then contact the family to arrange the repeat. Repeat blotters are taken at the birth hospital.
- If you have questions about a newborn screen repeat, please phone 902-470-2783.
- If you are booking a baby for a newborn screen repeat at IWK blood collection, please phone 902-470-7998.
SCREEN POSITIVE:
- If a baby flags (screens positive) for one of the conditions on the newborn screen it means they require follow-up with a clinical team. It does not mean the baby has this condition, but that further testing is needed to confirm or rule out the condition.
- Our genetic counsellor connects with the family, the primary care provider, and the clinic/specialty service providing the follow-up testing to coordinate the baby being seen as soon as possible. This process happens independent of whether the baby has a primary care provider.
- If you have questions about a positive newborn screen result, please phone 902-470-2783.
Programme de dépistage néonatal des Maritimes
Qu’est-ce que le dépistage néonatal?
Pour faire en sorte qu’ils débutent leur vie en bonne santé et qu’ils maintiennent leur bonne santé pendant leur croissance, tous les bébés nés au Canada ont accès au dépistage néonatal. Les tests de dépistage sont effectués pour déceler plusieurs maladies graves et rares qui peuvent être traitées. Il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir des antécédents familiaux pour que votre bébé soit à risque. De nombreux bébés semblent être en bonne santé à la naissance, mais ils peuvent souffrir d’un problème de santé grave. Sans le dépistage, le problème peut passer inaperçu. Grâce à un traitement précoce et régulier et à un suivi, votre enfant peut vivre une vie en meilleure santé.
Maladies faisantl’objet d’un dépistageen Nouvelle-Écosse et Nouveau-Brunswick
Différents types de maladies font l’objet d’un dépistageen Nouvelle-Écosse et Nouveau-Brunswick, y compris des maladies métaboliques, des maladies hématologiques et des maladies endocriniens. Undépistage de la fibrosekystiqueestégalementeffectué chez les bébésen Nouvelle-Écosse et Nouveau-Brunswick.
Pour une liste complète des maladies, cliquez ici.
Comment nous joindre
- Email: MNBSinfo@iwk.nshealth.ca
- Tél: (902) 470-7998
- Toll Free: 1-888-470-5888 ext: 7998
- Téléc: 902-470-6974
- Programme de dépistage néonatal des Maritimes
IWK Health Centre
5850/5980 University Avenue
PO Box 9700
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 6R8
Pour commander des brochures ou du papier buvard
Pour commander des brochures ou du papier buvard du Programme de dépistage néonatal des Maritimes, envoyez un courriel à l'adresse MNBSinfo@iwk.nshealth.ca ou composez le numéro 902-470-7998.