The heel prick screen checks your baby for 11 rare but serious conditions.
It's done by taking a blood sample from your baby's heel.
What happens during the test
Your midwife or PHN does the heel prick screen in hospital or at your home. They usually do the heel prick 3 to 5 days after your baby is born.
They will take a few drops of blood from your baby's heel using a special device called a lancet.
They then collect the blood on a special card called the newborn bloodspot screening card. The card is used for different screening tests in a lab.
You can help your baby by:
- making sure they are warm and comfortable
- keeping their feet nice and warm - put 2 pairs of socks on them during the hour before the test, if possible
- being ready to feed or cuddle your baby
Your choice to have your baby screened
When your baby is due to have the heel prick screen, your midwife or public health nurse (PHN) will give you information about the screening test. This will include a leaflet.
You'll then be asked to give consent on behalf of your baby. Only the birth mother or married father can give consent. It is your choice to take part in screening or not.
Giving your consent
You give your consent by signing your baby's newborn screening card. If you cannot sign it, you will be asked to give your consent verbally or by making a mark on the card in front of the midwife or public health nurse.
By signing the screening card, you confirm that:
- you are the baby's legal guardian
- you got information about the heel prick screening and understand it
- the information on the card about your baby is correct
- we will store your screening card for 10 years
- you consent to how we use the screening card and store your personal information
- you consent to having your baby screened - this may involve different lab tests
Screening will include a genetic test for spinal muscular atrophy. It may also include a genetic test to screen for cystic fibrosis.
Newborn bloodspot screening card
The midwife or PHN will use a newborn bloodspot screening card.
The card has 3 parts:
- a sample area - for collecting your baby's blood
- an information sheet - to record your baby's details and your consent to screening
- a copy of the information sheet - for you to keep as a record
What happens to your baby's screening card
The midwife or PHN sends the screening card to the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Laboratory.
The lab do a number of tests to check for the 11 rare but serious conditions.
The lab will keep your baby's screening card secure for 10 years. After that it will be disposed of.
Genetic tests
Screening will include a genetic test to screen for spinal muscular atrophy.
Screening may also include a genetic test to screen for cystic fibrosis. If the first lab tests show that your baby might be at risk of cystic fibrosis, the lab will do a follow-on screening test. This is a genetic test.
Other uses of the bloodspot sample
Your baby’s newborn bloodspot screening card may also be used:
- to check their screening result
- for other tests that your doctor recommends for your baby - you will be asked for your consent
Expanding screening programme
In the future, we may add new conditions to the screening programme.
If a new condition is added, the lab will need to test existing bloodspot samples. This is to make sure that the new screening test works well. The screening test may be a genetic test. We may use your baby's sample for this reason.
All samples are anonymised. This means that names are removed. The sample cannot be traced back to an individual child.
Samples are never used for commercial purposes.
Use of data
To deliver the screening programme, a number of health services need to securely store your baby's data.
The data they store include your baby's:
- newborn bloodspot screening card information
- screening results
They may use this information to contact you. For example, if your baby needs a repeat bloodspot screening sample or a further screening test.
Data from the Irish bloodspot screening programme may also be used for:
- national and international quality assurance
- related screening programme research
This information is anonymised.
If you do not want the heel prick screen for your baby
We recommend having your baby screened for these 11 rare but serious conditions. Screening for these conditions and finding them early means your baby can start treatment as soon as possible.
But you can choose not to have your baby screened. You'll need to tell your midwife or PHN when they offer you screening.
They will ask you to sign an 'opt-out' form. The form says you understand the risks of not having your baby screened.
Benefits of heel prick screening
If you change your mind
If you change your mind and decide to have your baby screened, contact your local PHN or GP. They can arrange screening for your baby up until they are 12 months old.
Repeat heel prick screens
Sometimes, the midwife or PHN will contact you to do a second heel prick screen. This may happen if there was not enough blood on the first screening card or if the results are not clear.