Number of births increases in the first half of the year

According to data from the National Neonatal Screening Program (PNRN), coordinated by the Dr. Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute ( INSA ), January (7,670) was the month in which the most newborns were screened in the first half of this year.

Last year, 84,631 babies were analyzed in Portugal, 1,133 fewer than the previous year (85,764).

In the first six months of this year, Lisbon was the district with the most exams carried out (13,007), followed by Porto (7,432), Setúbal (3,329), Braga (3,175) and Faro (2,174).

The lowest number of tests was observed in the district of Bragança (260), followed by Portalegre (278) and Guarda (326).

In the last 10 years, 2016 was the year in which the most “heel prick tests” were carried out, with 87,577.

Coordinated by INSA, through its Neonatal Screening, Metabolism and Genetics Unit, of the Department of Human Genetics, the PNRN has been screening 28 pathologies since 1979: congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, spinal muscular atrophy and 24 hereditary metabolic diseases.

Although not mandatory, the program currently has a coverage rate of 99.5 percent, with the average time to start treatment being around 10 days.

The “heel prick test” is carried out from the third day after the newborn’s birth, by collecting a few drops of blood from the child’s foot.

Photo: Omar Lopez / Unsplash.