Once is enough for neonatal screening

Despite widespread acceptance that all newborn babies should be screened for abnormalities after birth, there is no consensus about how this should be arranged. Historically, babies are examined shortly after birth and again before hospital discharge. With decreasing lengths of postnatal stay, however, many babies are examined only once now. Glazener et al compared these two policies in a single centre, randomised, switchback trial of nearly 10 000 babies (p 627). The two examination policy led to an increase in abnormalities suspected at discharge, particularly congenital dislocation of the hip, but this was not associated with a detectable increase in the number later receiving active management.


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Relevant Article

Neonatal examination and screening trial (NEST): a randomised, controlled, switchback trial of alternative policies for low risk infants • Commentary: "Switchback" allocationdangerous bends ahead!

Cathryn M A Glazener, Craig R Ramsay, Marion K Campbell, Philip Booth, Paul Duffty, David J Lloyd, Alison McDonald, J Anne Reid, and Jonathan J Deeks
BMJ 1999 318: 627-632. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]