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The Alberta Newborn Screening Program (ANSP) is about health care providers working together with parents to screen for certain treatable conditions.
ON THIS PAGE:
Newborn Blood Spot Screening| Program Overview| Program Pathway| Talking with Parents About Screening|Sample Collection|Following Up on Infants|Talking with Parents About Results|Order Resources
Newborn blood spot screening is about screening infants for certain serious but treatable health conditions. Early detection and treatment of screened conditions can make the difference between healthy development and lifelong impairment.
The Alberta Newborn Screening Program (ANSP) is a population-based screening program that brings healthcare providers and parents together to screen infants for more than 20 treatable conditions. The Newborn Blood Spot Screening Pathway is central to this work, ensuring infants who may be at risk of having a treatable condition receive timely clinical assessment, diagnostic testing, and early treatment.
The ANSP screens all infants born in Alberta (infants born outside Alberta and receiving health care in Alberta may also be screened). Delivered by Primary Care Alberta with partners across the province, the program ensures timely screening so that an initial result is reported by 10 days of age. The newborn blood spot screening pathway includes:
To learn more about the ANSP, see clinical policy, staff education, and resources below.
Join our Community of Practice on Insite (login credentials required). Anyone involved in the screening pathway can join and gain access to tools, communication supports, dashboards, and peer connection.
Parents play an important role in the newborn blood spot screening process. When they know why their baby’s heel needs to be poked and how they can comfort their baby, they’re more likely to feel confident and supported during the screening.
Having a baby can be an overwhelming experience. Sharing clear, simple, and reliable information about newborn screening helps parents feel more at ease and ensures their baby gets the best possible care.
To learn more about talking with parents, see staff education and resources below.
Blood spot cards can be returned to parents after all testing the infant needs is completed and the newborn blood spot screen results are reported. Physicians and midwives can make this request on behalf of the parent by calling the Alberta Newborn Screening Laboratory at 780-407-1698.
Newborn screening is an important way to protect an infant’s long-term health. For screening results to be reliable, each blood spot must meet specific quality requirements. If a sample doesn’t meet these standards, a repeat collection will be needed.
To learn more about collecting newborn blood spot samples, see clinical policy, staff education, and resources below.
Once an infant’s blood spots are collected, transported, and analyzed, the Alberta Newborn Screening Laboratory reviews the infant’s information and results. From there, a series of coordinated steps ensure every infant receives the care they need.
Depending on the findings, follow-up actions may differ. Some infants may need the blood spots collected again, while others may be referred for clinical assessment or diagnostic testing.
To learn more about following up on infants when a repeat collection is required, see clinical policy, staff education, and resources below.
To learn more about when an infant is referred for clinical assessment or diagnostic testing, see Talking with Parents About Results.
Newborn screening does not confirm that an infant has a condition, rather, it identifies infants who are at an increased risk of having a condition and require further testing. If an infant under your care receives an abnormal screen result, you will be notified. You can support parents when their newborn has an abnormal screen result by providing clear information and guidance on next steps.
To learn more about the communication supports available for discussing abnormal screen results with parents, see the resources below.
For resources on screening, see the Talking with Parents About Screening section.
Log in to the ANSP Catalogue using user ID newbornpublic and password NMS2013. Healthcare providers can order ANSP resources online. View detailed instructions on how to order:
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