Newborn Screening Program
[an error occurred while processing this directive]My Baby Had a Positive CF Newborn Screening Result
Before you took your newborn baby home from the hospital, a small amount of blood was taken from his or her foot for New York State's Newborn Screening Program. Your hospital gave you a pamphlet, "For Your Baby's Health" that describes the diseases screened for by this program. You may also have a pink form with your baby's ID number on it.
One of your baby's test results showed a need for a second test called a sweat test.
Why does my baby need a sweat test?
The sweat test will measure how much salt is in your baby's sweat. This test is the best way of checking for a health problem called cystic fibrosis (CF). Most babies who get a sweat test do not have CF, but it is important to "rule it out". Babies with CF have salty sweat. CF causes breathing and digestive problems and people with CF need special medical care. When CF is diagnosed the baby can start to be treated with medicine (if needed).
Before the sweat test
Do not use any lotions or creams on your baby's arms or legs on the day of the test (including moisturizing soaps). Bring an extra blanket or sweater and hat to keep the baby warm during the test.
What to expect
The sweat test takes about one hour from start to finish. A special machine causes a small part of the baby's arm or leg to sweat. The skin may feel warm and tingly for 5 minutes while the machine is on. Your baby may cry during this part of the test, but it is not painful. The sweat is collected on a gauze pad or disc. After 30 minutes time, the gauze or disc is removed and the sweat is tested in the lab.
What do the results mean?
Results should be available by the morning after your test. There are four possible results:
- Negative result: This means that a normal amount of salt was found in the sweat. It is very rare for a person to have CF if the sweat test result is negative. Your baby should get regular baby care.
- Positive result: A positive sweat test means that your baby probably has CF. The baby should have a second sweat test and a check-up with a doctor who specializes in treating people with CF.
- Borderline result: Sometimes the sweat test result will be in-between positive and negative. You will be asked to bring the baby back for another sweat test, and perhaps an exam and blood test.
- "QNS": means Quantity Not Sufficient (there was not enough sweat on the gauze or disc). You will be asked to bring the baby back another day to try again.
My baby was found to be a CF carrier through newborn screening. What does that mean?
CF carriers are healthy and their sweat test results are usually normal. If both parents are CF carriers, they could have a child with CF in the future. If your baby is a CF carrier, then you or your partner is a CF carrier, too. It is also possible that both you and your partner are CF carriers, and you could have a child with CF in the future. A brochure, My Baby is a CF Carrier: What Does it Mean for My Baby? What Does that Mean for Me? is available from your baby's health care provider. If you aren't sure if your baby is a CF carrier, ask your baby's health care provider.
I had a negative CF blood test when I was pregnant. Does my baby still need a sweat test?
Yes. Any baby whose newborn screening result is positive should have a sweat test.
The above information is also available as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file "For Parents and Families: My Baby Had a Positive CF Newborn Screening Result"
The Adobe Acrobat Reader software is required to view and print the pdf format. [Adobe Acrobat Reader.]
For more information, contact the Newborn Screening Program.("My Baby is a CF Carrier: What does it mean for my baby? What does it mean for me?")
Your newborn baby was tested for a condition called cystic fibrosis (CF) while in the hospital. CF causes breathing and digestive problems. Babies who test positive for CF must have a follow up sweat test to see if they have this condition. If the sweat test is negative, then you should not worry that your baby has CF.
Some newborns who test positive for CF are CF carriers. CF carriers do not have cystic fibrosis. CF carriers do not need special medical care. But if your baby is a CF carrier, then either you or your partner is a CF carrier, too. It may be that both you and your partner are CF carriers, and you could have a baby with CF in the future. This brochure explains what it means to be a CF carrier.
What is a carrier?
Our bodies are made up of tiny building blocks called cells. Inside the cells are thousands of instructions called genes. Genes tell the body how to grow and develop. Some genes determine what we look like (hair color, eye color, etc.). Each gene comes in a set of two. One copy of a gene in each pair comes from our mother's egg. One copy comes from our father's sperm. We all have "mistakes" (called mutations) in a few of our genes. When one copy of a gene has a mutation in it, the other copy is usually working fine. A carrier is a healthy person with a gene that is not working because of a mutation. If both parents have mutations in the same gene, then their baby could be born with a health problem.