In Ireland, all babies are offered screening for:
Newborn screening for Phenylketonuria (PKU) started in Ireland in February 1966. Ireland was one of the first countries in the world to have a national screening programme. Since then other conditions have been added, including Cystic Fibrosis in July 2011. More conditions will be added in the future.
Screening is important - Screening for all these conditions is strongly recommended, but it is not mandatory. If a baby has one of the conditions, the long-term benefit of screening with early treatment is much greater than the small discomfort they feel when the blood sample is taken.
More detailed information on each of these conditions is available below:
Information for parents and guardians
Information for health professionals
Last updated on: 08 / 07 / 2011