Newborn screening is an important public health program. The purpose of this program is to test babies for genetic diseases soon after birth so that they can get diagnosed and treated quickly, often before serious health problems happen. For some newborns, early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death.

A small sample of blood is taken from the baby’s heel. The sample is sent to a laboratory for testing. If the test results show that the baby is at risk for a genetic disease, care and treatment can begin right away. In the United States, all states require newborn screening.

Newborn screening tries to find babies who may have certain serious diseases so it is important to ensure that tests can correctly detect those diseases and can do so consistently over time. Accurate newborn screening is needed to make sure all affected babies can be found and treated early. This early action can prevent or reduce health problems, enabling babies to live longer and healthier lives.