Blood Spot Cards

20. The newborn screening card (blood spot card) has changed. What is the same as the previous card? What is different?

Same:

• Number of blood spots (4).
• Most of the required information.
• Instructions for taking blood spots on the back on the card.

• Blood spots are on the top of the card rather than the right hand side (to reduce the chances of contamination of the filter paper area while writing on the card).
• The look of the card has changed to cluster related information.
• The name fields for mother and baby now include both first and last names (to better track name changes).
• There are two new fields to assist in the analysis of blood for some disorders:
• Singleton vs. multiple birth.
• Gestational age: term or premature (<36 weeks) and, if premature, how many weeks.
• There is a new field to identify if the collection is not an initial newborn screen (repeat screen, amino acid monitor, acylcarnitine profile).

21. Where can I get more newborn screening cards (blood spot cards)?

• Please contact the Newborn Screening Laboratory to obtain blood spot cards (phone: 604 875-2148; e-mail: nbs_office@cw.bc.ca).
• Plan ahead and allow enough time for the cards to reach you by regular mail so that you do not run out of cards.

Created: May 11, 2010