Newborn Screening

Genes control how a baby will look and how his or her body works. They can also determine if a baby has a disorder.

Making sure newborn babies are screened for health or genetic disorders within the first 24 hours of their lives could make a difference in their health and the quality and the longevity of their lives.

How We Help

Cook County Department of Public Health educates families about the importance of newborn screenings . Our nurses help families whose babies are suspected of having genetic disorders follow up with medical providers for further testing and treatment. We also follow up with families who may have missed getting their newborns screened and refer them for screening.

Learn about newborn screenings in Illinois .

For more information about getting your newborn baby screened, contact our public health nursing division at [email protected].

Facts About Newborn Screenings

Why Newborn Screening Is Important:

Newborn screening can help detect if babies could be at risk for a disease, intellectual and physical disability and even death. Early detection, diagnosis and treatment of health disorders can prevent disability or death and enable children to reach their full potential. Neglecting to get babies screened and proper health care after screening could lead to babies suffering severe illnesses and even death.

Three Components of Newborn Screening

Blood spot screening (heel prick)
Hearing screening
Pulse oximetry (for critical congenital heart disease)

How Newborn Screening is Conducted

Newborn screening is typically performed when a newborn is 24 to 48 hours old and prior to being discharged from a hospital or birthing center.

Screenings are conducted either by using a few drops of blood from the newborn’s heel or through special equipment to detect hearing loss or critical congenital heart disease.

Newborn screening does not confirm a baby has a condition. If an out-of-range or abnormal screen is detected, parents will be notified immediately to get follow-up testing.

Health Disorders Newborns are Screened For

Newborns in Illinois are screened for more than 40 disorders, including:

amino and urea cycle disorders
biotinidase deficiency
congenital adrenal hyperplasia
congenital hypothyroidism
critical congenital heart disease
cystic fibrosis
fatty acid oxidation disorders
galactosemia
hearing loss
lysosomal storage disorders
organic acid disorders
Phenylketonuria
severe combined immune deficiency
sickle cell disease
Spinal muscular atrophy

Learn more

Screening Before or During Pregnancy

You don’t have to wait until your baby is born to begin genetic screening. You can be proactive and get screening for genetic disorders before you get pregnant or while you’re pregnant.

Before Pregnancy

Genetic counseling helps you understand the risks of genetic conditions, provides insights into potential health issues, aids in planning for a healthy pregnancy, and supports informed choices for your family’s future.

Learn about Genetic Counseling .
Learn about planning for pregnancy

During Pregnancy

Diagnostic testing for prenatal consumers : recommended for all pregnant women
Noninvasive prenatal testing for pregnant people : finds chromosome abnormalities in the baby, such as Down syndrome.

Additional Resources

Genetic Resources & Information

Genetic Screening & Testing

Know your genetics and take charge of your health.

Learn More