Managing Newborn Screening Repeat Collections for Sick and Preterm Neonates

Abstract

Some preterm and sick neonates have altered biochemical profiles and follow-up newborn screening (NBS) collections are recommended. The Victorian NBS program historically recommended repeat collections for babies with birth weight 1 in 5 babies were not receiving a follow-up collection. Our timing of repeat collections for transfused babies, requiring a 3-week follow-up collection, was longer than in other Australasian jurisdictions. A new combined “sick–prem protocol” was launched to support repeat collections and after a 1-year review achieved 95% compliance. We recommend NBS laboratories audit preterm and sick neonate repeat collections to ensure appropriate follow-up. This should be supported with a visual process map to aid education and compliance.

Keywords

• prematurity
• low birth weight
• transfusion
• sick neonate
• quality indicators
• congenital hypothyroidism