Antenatal HIV screening, along with the other five antenatal blood tests, is offered to all pregnant women as a routine part of their antenatal care. Most women in New Zealand will be found not to have HIV. Women who are found to have HIV can then be offered treatment to reduce the chance that they will transmit the virus to the baby.

read more about Antenatal HIV Screening here

All women have a choice to be screened for Down syndrome and other conditions in pregnancy. The National Screening Unit is currently managing the development and implementation of quality improvements for antenatal screening for Down syndrome and other conditions.

read more about Antenatal Screening for Down Syndrome and other conditions – Quality Improvements here

The Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme screens for rare but potentially serious disorders such as phenylketonuria (PKU), cystic fibrosis, and congenital hypothyroidism. A blood sample is taken from your baby’s heel at 48 hours of age (the ‘heel prick’ or ‘Guthrie’ test).  If a disorder is found, early treatment can prevent permanent damage or death.

read more about Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme here

Newborn hearing screening checks whether your baby hears well. If your baby has a hearing loss, finding it early is good for their language, learning and social development. When the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme is in place throughout the country, all 21 District Health Boards will offer screening free of charge.

read more about Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme here