Every year since 2010, Arizona parents have brought an average of 80,000 newborns into the world! And every year, health professionals at the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory test around 160,000 blood spot specimens to make sure those newborns have the best possible health at the start of their lives. Through ADHS, Arizona is one [...]
On April 13, the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission and the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix held the Second Annual Arizona Cord Blood Conference: Blazing Frontiers. The Arizona Public Cord Blood Program was created to advance the collection of and increase the number of cord blood units available for transplantation. Umbilical cord blood, [...]
Newborn Screening month wraps up at the end of September and has served as a time to recognize the great strides we’ve made in screening babies born in Arizona. Arizona joins 36 other states in implementing a new test for critical congenital heart defect in newborns this year. Newborns in Arizona now have access to [...]
House Bill 2491 has been in the media and became a law with the Governor’s signature. The new law requires us to add critical congenital heart defect (CCHD) to our newborn screening program protocol. This new screening and reporting requirement will kick in once our rulemaking is complete- probably this Fall. The screening test we'll be [...]
Guest blog by Mary Ellen Cunningham, Bureau of Women's and Children's Health All new parents have experienced a version of this thought when they bring home their helpless, tiny newborn: “I have no idea what I am doing.” We also know now how terribly important those first years are for baby. The brain development in [...]
Last year Arizona welcomed about 98,000 newborns to our world. Our Newborn Screening Program (in the State Laboratory) ensures that each newborn is tested for 28 inherited disorders and hearing problems. The goal is to help kids avoid illness, developmental delays and even death. Teamwork, communication and coordination are to critical in making this program [...]
