Parents, here’s what you need to know about the newborn screening here in the Philippines.
What can you read in this article?
- What is the importance of newborn screening in the Philippines?
- What’s the expanded newborn screening all about?
- Is it for free?
After nine months of waiting, finally, your baby is born. Congratulations!
We know you’re excited to bring baby home. But before you can leave the hospital, there are certain things that need to be done to ensure that your child will be safe and healthy, such as the newborn screening.
As a new parent, you may wonder: What are these tests? What are the doctors looking for? Are such tests needed?
Your concerns are as valid as the tests are necessary. But rest assured that these tests cause little pain, if any at all, to your precious little one. Such tests are routine and are essential in ensuring your baby is well and healthy.
Newborn screening in the Philippines
Most babies look normal and the same when they are born. But they might have a congenital disorder that if not attended to right away, may put their health at risk.
The newborn screening is a simple test that is done on babies after they are born to check if they have a congenital disorder.By doing the newborn screening, metabolic disorders can be detected even before clinical signs and symptoms manifest. As a result, treatment can be given early to prevent serious consequences like mental retardation or death.
It was in the year 1996 when newborn screening was implemented in the Philippines, but in 2014, Republic Act 9288 or the Newborn Screening Act of 2014 was mandated into law, which states that all babies born in the Philippines should undergo newborn screening.
Since May 2019, the Department of Health mandated that all babies should undergo the Expanded Newborn Screening (ENBS), which increased the screening panel of disorders from six (6) to more than twenty-eight.
Newborn screening tests will be done both in your hospital room and in the nursery.
Newborn screening prevents the infant from experiencing birth defects and complications such as:
- Severe mental retardation
- Coma from metabolic crisis
- Developmental and physical delays
- Neurologic impairment
- Seizures
- Enlargement of the heart & liver
- Muscle weakness
- Breathing problems
- Neurologic damage
- Painful complications
- Anemia
- Stroke
- Multi-organ failure
- Death
Newborn screening in the Philippines – things you need to know
Here are some things parents usually ask when it comes to newborn screening in the Philippines.
When is the newborn screening done?
Ideally, the newborn screening should be done within 24 to 48 hours after birth. It is for this reason that the baby cannot be discharged from the hospital without having done the necessary tests.
Where is this procedure available?
According to DOH, the enhanced newborn screening is available in certified hospitals, lying-ins, rural health units, health centers and some private clinics in the Philippines.
What’s included in the Expanded Newborn Screening?
With ENBS, your baby will be screened for the following conditions:
Endocrine Disorders
-
- Congenital Hypothyroidism
- Congenital Adrenal
- Hyperplasia
Amino Acid Disorders
-
- Homocystinuria
- Hypermethioninemia/Methionine Adenosine Transferase Deficiency
- Maple Syrup Urine Disease
- Phenylketonuria
- Tyrosinemia Type I
- Tyrosinemia Type II, III
Fatty Acid Disorders
-
- Carnitine Palmi toyltransferase I Deficiency
- Glutaric Acidemia Type II
- Carnitine Palmi toyltransferase II Deficiency
- Glutaric Acidemia Type II
- Carnitine Uptake Deficiency
- Glutaric Acidemia Type II
- Long Chain Hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
- Medium Chain-Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
- Very Long Chain-Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency
- Tri-functional Protein Deficiency
Organic Acid Disorders
-
- 3-Methylcrotnyl CoA Carboxylase Deficiency
- Beta Ketothiolase Deficiency
- Glutaric Acidemia Type I
- Isovaleric Acidemia
- Methylmalonic Acidemia
- Multiple Carboxylase Deficiency
- Propionic Acidemia
Urea Cycle Defect
-
- Citrullinemia
- Argininosuccinic Aciduria
Hemoglobinopathies
-
- Hemoglobin C
- Beta Thalassemia
- Hemoglobin D
- Alpha Thalassemia
- Hemoglobin E
- Sickle Cell Disease
Others
-
- Galactosemia
- Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Biotinidase Deficiency
How is the procedure done?
A few drops of blood are taken from the baby’s heel, blotted on a special absorbent filter card, and then sent to Newborn Screening Center (NSC). A doctor, nurse or certified medical technician will conduct the procedure.
While it may seem uncomfortable for you to see your baby being poked, remember that it is necessary and a few seconds of pain may actually save his life in the long run. It can help if you or your partner will be with baby during the procedure.
How much is the test?
Expanded newborn screening costs ₱1750, but it is part of the Newborn Care Package (NCP) for PhilHealth members.
Aside from ENBS, the Newborn Care Package includes Vitamin K eye ointment, vaccines for Hepatitis B and BCG, Newborn Hearing Screening Test, and fees for attending health professionals.
So before giving birth, make sure that your PhilHealth membership is all set and updated.
When can I get the results?
The test results can be claimed from the health facility where it was conducted. Usually, you will hear from them within 7 to 14 days after the test, if the results are normal.
If the ENBS results are positive, the parents may hear immediately from the health facility, so make sure that the address and phone number you provided them are correct.
What do these results mean?
A negative screen means that the ENBS result is normal and the baby is cleared from the diseases mentioned above. Meanwhile, a positive result means that the newborn should be brought back to the health facility or his pediatrician for further observation and testing.
READ MORE:
Parent’s Guide: 6 essential things you’ll need in baby’s nursery
Parents’ Guide: 17 things na hindi dapat gawin sa newborn baby
Preparing for your newborn? Here are the new Always Safe protocols in MakatiMed
Other tests for newborns
Aside from the expanded newborn screening, your newborn would be subjected to the following tests to ensure his overall health before he is discharged from the hospital.
Apgar scoring
In the first minute after your baby is born he will do the first grading test of his life! In the Apgar score test, five factors are used to evaluate the baby’s condition. The five factors are:
1. Appearance (skin color)
2. Pulse (heart rate)
3. Grimace response (reflexes)
4. Activity (muscle tone)
5. Respiration (breathing rate and effort)
Each factor is given a score on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score. The scores for each of the 5 areas are then combined to obtain a total grading out of a possible score of 10. A perfect score of 10 is possible but rare.
Five minutes later, the Apgar test is repeated. Babies usually get a higher score in the second test because their overall condition tends to improve.
Quick physical examination
Within an hour of your baby’s birth, the midwife will also perform a quick physical examination. She will check your baby’s weight, length, and head circumference. These figures will go into your baby’s health booklet which will be updated at subsequent check-ups.
The moment your baby is born, their vital signs will be checked through a quick physical examination.
Thorough physical examination
The pediatrician will perform a detailed head-to-toe examination within the first 24 hours of your baby’s life.This will include checking your baby’s heart, reflexes, and breathing. The doctor will also do a physical check for Jaundice symptoms and how breastfeeding is going.
Hearing test
This test can be done easily and doesn’t cause any pain to your baby. Hearing in infants can be tested using two different methods: the auditory brainstem response (ABR) evaluations or the otoacoustic emission (OAE) measures. Both tests are accurate, noninvasive, automated, and do not require any observable response from the infant.
It is important to detect hearing impairment early on so that treatment can be prescribed if needed. As mentioned earlier, the hearing test is included in the newborn care package which is offered to all babies.
A hearing test is part of the routine newborn screening
Vaccinations and injections
All newborns are also required to have these vaccinations before being discharged from the hospital, which is why they are covered in the newborn care package by PhilHealth.
Vitamin K injection
Vitamin K is a routine injection given to help your baby’s blot clot and prevent hemorrhaging, especially in instances where forceps or suction has been used to aid delivery.
BCG and Hepatitis B vaccinations
The BCG vaccination which protects your child against tuberculosis and the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccines are given shortly after your baby is born.
This has proven highly effective in preventing serious forms of childhood tuberculosis such as tuberculosis TB meningitis (occurs when the tuberculosis bacteria invade the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord) and disseminated tuberculosis (a contagious bacterial infection in which TB bacteria has spread from the lungs to other parts of the body through the blood or lymph system).
As the name suggests, the hepatitis B vaccine protects your baby from serious viral liver infections such as hepatitis B. Your baby will get the 2nd dose of the hepatitis B vaccine one month after the first dose and the 3rd dose 5 months after the 2nd dose.
Additional information by Camille Eusebio
Source:
Newbornscreening.PH, DOH
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