Neonatal Screening

A heel prick is used to take a sample of blood from practically all newborns in the Netherlands to screen them for three disorders: phenylketonuria (PKU), congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) and adrenogenital syndrome (AGS). Early diagnosis is necessary with metabolic diseases of this kind so that timely treatment can be given to prevent irreversible damage to health. Parents can also be informed about the likelihood of a repetition with any subsequent child.