Must babies have a certain number of days of milk feeds before screening takes place to ensure accuracy of the test?
No, there is no need to wait. The Programme Centre has concluded that there is no need to wait for a baby to be on milk feeds prior to newborn blood spot screening. In the past, confusion has existed around the need to wait until a baby has had sufficient milk feeds to ensure accuracy of the PKU screening result. Research suggests that this is an unnecessary delay, as milk feeds do not significantly alter the screening result. Delaying can increase the risk of screening not being carried out on that particular baby.
