Alberta Newborn Screening Program

Newborn blood spot screening is done to help find conditions that can be treated early. Timely treatment can help prevent health problems, improve a baby's health and may even save a baby's life.

Healthcare providers work with parents to screen for certain treatable conditions (metabolic, endocrine, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, severe combined immunodeficiency and spinal muscular atrophy).

• newborn blood spot screening helps your doctor or midwife find conditions that can be treated early to prevent health problems, improve your baby's health and may even save your baby's life. It’s the best way to tell if your baby is at risk of having a certain treatable condition that you, your doctor or your midwife might not know about
• it’s best to have the newborn blood spot screen completed at the hospital when your baby is between 24 and 72 hours old, before your baby goes home. If it is not completed at the hospital, it will be completed at a home visit, clinic visit or at a lab in your community
• your doctor or midwife will have results by the time your baby is two weeks old

For more information visit our website.