Question

Which of the following statements is NOT correct concerning newborn screening?

a. It is normally done soon after the birth of a child.
b. It is particularly important to test for serious conditions where there is no treatment available.
c. Most newborn testing is done by collecting a small amount of an infant's blood and then using it for analysis to detect specific genetic disorders.
d. The genetic disorder phenylketonuria is one of the conditions that is usually tested for with newborn screening.
e. All of the above statements are true.

Answer 1

The incorrect statement about newborn screening is that it is particularly important to test for conditions with no treatment; the purpose is to identify treatable conditions early. Newborn screening is generally done soon after birth, involves a small blood sample, and commonly tests for conditions like phenylketonuria.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is NOT correct concerning newborn screening is: b. It is particularly important to test for serious conditions where there is no treatment available. Newborn screening is primarily designed to identify serious conditions for which early intervention can prevent serious health problems or death. It is less important to screen newborns for conditions that have no treatment since the main benefit of newborn screening is to start interventions early.

Newborn screening is conducted soon after birth (statement a), usually performed with a small blood sample (statement c), and does typically include a test for genetic disorders such as phenylketonuria (statement d).

Genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis are other aspects of the prenatal and perinatal care process that focus on identifying genetic disorders in families or unborn children, and do not negate the importance of newborn screening which takes place after birth.