What are the newborn screening items and how much does it cost?

With the advancement of medical technology, many tests have been developed. Newborn screening can detect abnormalities and treat them early to avoid deformities and defects in babies. So what are the newborn screening items and how much does it cost?

Newborn Screening Program

Brain ultrasound examination:

Ultrasound examination is a non-radioactive, non-invasive and highly safe examination. The unclosed anterior fontanelle in infancy is the best natural sound window for brain ultrasound examination. According to medical statistics, 3 out of every 1,000 live births have congenital hydrocephalus, and 10 to 20 may have other structural abnormalities. Brain ultrasound can be used to detect infant brain abnormalities early, such as congenital brain malformations (hydrocephalus, flat brain, anterior hollow brain), cerebral infarction, hematoma, brain tumor, etc.

Abdominal Ultrasound Examination:

According to medical statistics, 0.5 to 1 out of every 1,000 live births will have biliary cysts, and 0.5 to 2 will have abdominal tumors (such as hemangiomas and teratomas). In addition, 0.5% of newborns will have kidney abnormalities, including renal edema, polycystic kidney disease, renal vein thrombosis, or adrenal hemorrhage and hyperplasia. Abdominal ultrasound can be used to detect abnormalities in the baby's liver and gallbladder system and kidneys early.

Cardiac Ultrasound Examination:

According to medical statistics, 8 to 12 out of every 1,000 live births suffer from congenital heart disease. Some congenital heart anomalies do not have obvious heart murmurs at birth. Through cardiac ultrasound examination, it can provide quite accurate diagnostic information for congenital structural abnormalities. However, cardiac ultrasound is still unable to accurately predict infant arrhythmia, progressive heart function abnormalities or acquired heart disease. In addition, since the baby's heart itself still has a little function that is still being adjusted at birth, this examination is recommended to be performed 4 weeks after birth.

Neonatal allergic IgE testing:

When the human body is repeatedly stimulated by allergens, it will trigger the body's immune system to produce cytokines and antibodies (immunoglobulin E, IgE) to fight allergens. Newborn babies have not yet been stimulated by the external environment, so theoretically the IgE content in their bodies should be quite low. However, studies have shown that some allergens may pass through the placenta and exist in the amniotic fluid during the mother's pregnancy. If the fetus swallows and absorbs them, an allergic reaction may occur, which will increase the IgE content in the body.

However, whether the baby has allergies still needs to be comprehensively evaluated and judged by the doctor based on factors such as family allergy history and acquired environment.

Newborn screening role

Newborn disease screening, literally understood, is to screen newborn babies for diseases to reduce the probability of mentally retarded children. my country is a country with a high incidence of birth defects, with about 200,000 to 300,000 babies born with visible congenital malformations each year. Together with defects that only appear months and years after birth, the total number of children with congenital disabilities is as high as 800,000 to 1.2 million, accounting for about 4% to 6% of the total number of births each year.

By using rapid and sensitive laboratory methods to screen newborns for genetic metabolic diseases, congenital endocrine abnormalities, and certain serious genetic diseases, those newborns with the disease can be diagnosed and treated early before clinical symptoms appear or when symptoms are mild, thus preventing irreversible damage to the body's tissues and organs, and avoiding mental retardation, serious diseases, or death.

How much does newborn screening cost?

The cost of newborn disease screening is: 20 yuan for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test, 30 yuan for phenylalanine (Phe) test. 50 yuan for both tests. If hearing is included, it is about 120 yuan.