What Happens in a Newborn Screening?
After you give birth at Austin Area Birthing Center, newborns undergo screening to assess their health and ensure they are adjusting well. This process provides parents with reassurance that their baby is ready for a safe discharge home.
What Is a Newborn Screening?
Many people think the newborn assessment is just about measuring weight and length, but it involves much more than that. The newborn screening is a comprehensive assessment that checks the baby’s general condition, checks their reflexes, and makes sure the baby is healthy enough to be discharged.
We guide parents through the process, explaining the step reflex, crawl reflex, and Moro reflex. Everything happens at your bedside, without taking your baby anywhere.
What is included in the screening?
There are three main components of every newborn screening:
- Blood Tests: these are tests that check for serious conditions that need to be diagnosed at birth to control them effectively. Blood is taken from your baby’s heel and collected on a special paper to be sent to the lab for testing.
- Oximetry: We place a pulse oximeter on your baby’s toe and check the oxygen level in their blood. This helps us detect any abnormalities in heart function and refer the baby in time if needed.
- Overall Assessment: We check your baby’s weight, height, and vital signs such as blood pressure and pulse. We also perform a physical exam, including testing certain reflexes to make sure your baby is responding appropriately.
When do you perform the newborn screening?
The newborn screening is performed immediately postpartum. It is typically done about two hours after birth, but the timing can be adjusted if necessary.
The exam is often done with the baby on the mother’s tummy or at the edge of the bed so that parents can stay involved. Our goal is to make sure the baby is meeting developmental milestones appropriate for their age and that they don’t have any conditions that would require a pediatric consultation.
If you have any questions regarding the screening program, feel free to ask your midwife at your next appointment to discuss your options and what is best for your growing family.