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Find out about program updates, news features, and families helped by newborn screening.

 

Is it okay to use umbilical or cord blood for the newborn screen sample?

The use of umbilical or cord blood is not acceptable. As with any laboratory test, the newborn screen has been validated using certain parameters. For newborn screening, the test has been validated on a dried blood spot collected from the capillary bed of the infant’s heel. Additionally, maternal blood contamination of cord blood may occur and interfere with the interpretation of the screening result, leading to a false positive or false negative result.

 

Testing for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

The Florida Department of Health, Newborn Screening (NBS) Program, is pleased to announce that beginning April 27, 2020, all newborns screened will be tested for a new condition, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). If you have any questions, please contact the