How will I get my baby’s test results?

Your Lead Maternity Carer will receive negative results within a week to ten days of sending away your baby’s blood sample.  Positive results will be notified to your Lead Maternity Carer within two to three days of sending the sample away. Your Lead Maternity Carer will contact you urgently if your baby’s test gives a positive result. If you are concerned about your baby's health at any time talk to your Lead Maternity Carer or another health practitioner.

What happens if the result is positive or abnormal?

Sometimes your baby’s blood test will show a positive or abnormal result. There are a number of reasons for a positive or abnormal result. For example, not enough blood may have been taken, or the sample may not have reached the laboratory quickly enough. Or the sample may have been "borderline", which means it was not possible to tell whether or not there was a problem. In these cases, your Lead Maternity Carer will talk to you about taking another sample.

The result may also have been abnormal because there is an increased risk that your baby has one of the disorders screened for. Diagnostic testing will be required to confirm or rule out a disorder.  If this happens, your baby will be referred to a paediatrician who will arrange the diagnostic testing and give you more information.

Many of the effects of metabolic disorders can be reduced - either by diet or medicine - but treatment is best if started early.