Specimen Requirement

Please see the MDH online Test Catalog for all information: Minnesota Newborn Screening Fact Sheet

Collection information can be found here: Newborn Screening Information for Providers: Blood Spot Collection - MN Dept. of Health

All specimens must be labeled according to  Ridgeview's Specimen Integrity Policy, P10192 
 

Timing of blood spot collection is important for accurately interpreting test results. Tests for some of the disorders on the newborn screening panel have different cutoff values based on the infant’s age (in hours) at the time of blood spot collection. As a result, blood spots drawn too early or too late may increase the chance of false positive or false negative results.

Blood spots are best collected between 24 and 48 hours of age. Blood spots collected before 24 hours of age cannot be fully interpreted, which means some test results will be marked “unsatisfactory” on the newborn screening report. An unsatisfactory result will require another blood spot collection. Blood spots collected after 48 hours may not allow enough time for results to be interpreted before serious symptoms occur in newborns affected by certain disorders on the newborn screening panel. However, special circumstances may arise that require blood spot collection at earlier or later times.

Infant should be at least 24 hours old in elapsed time, not just in "clock" time. This distinction is important on the days surrounding the switch to Daylights Saving Time.

Accurate collection and recording of time is especially important with blood draws done right at 24 hours in order to avoid collecting blood before 24 hours of age. If you are collecting before 24 hours of age, please reference our Newborn Screening <24 Hour Discharge Guideline. It provides guidance about how to complete newborn screening for infants discharged to home before 24 hours of age.