Newborn metabolic screening (often known as the Guthrie test or heel prick test) is available to all New Zealand babies and is done at 48 hours of birth or as soon as possible thereafter. The blood is tested for rare but life-threatening disorders.

Did you know that...

• Newborn metabolic screening is available to all NZ babies and is done at 48 hours after birth.
• While most infants look perfectly healthy, there are some disorders that aren't visible.
• Unless these disorders are detected and treated early, they can cause some damage to the baby and in some cases, death.
• To screen for these disorders, a sample of blood is collected from the baby's heel.

Charlie's story

Charlie was born in June 2006. Like nearly all babies born in NZ, Charlie had a heel prick a couple of days after birth. The heel prick results indicated that Charlie could have Cystic Fibrosis. 

Read his story...
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