Your baby can receive the heel prick after birth if you wish. The heel prick is a nationwide screening program by the RIVM and is part of pre- and neonatal screening. The midwife performs the heel prick.
For this, a small amount of blood is dropped from your baby’s heel onto a card. The heel prick takes place during the baby’s first days of life.
The heel prick is very important because this test can detect rare, serious conditions. These are often incurable, but treatable.
Result
Nowadays, everyone receives the results by post within 5 weeks. If the result is not good, your GP will contact you. A second heel prick is performed in a hospital laboratory. It regularly happens that the result turns out to be good after a second heel prick.
Parents are generally unaware of this, but the blood taken during the heel prick is not only used to test for abnormalities. The blood is also used for scientific research. The blood is stored anonymously by the RIVM. At the request of scientists, this blood can be used for research. If you do not want your baby’s blood to be used for scientific research, you can indicate this at the time the heel prick is performed on your baby.
To make the heel prick more comfortable for the baby, you can warm the feet beforehand by, for example, placing a warm cloth around the baby’s heel. The blood will then drip from the heel more easily.
The heel prick is free of charge.
When you register your baby with the municipality, you will receive the information leaflet on the heel prick screening and the hearing test from the RIVM.
https://www.pns.nl/hielprik/folders
More information: Heel prick | Prenatal and neonatal screenings (pns.nl)
The Hearing Test
The hearing test is performed by the CJG, usually in the second week after birth. You will receive an invitation by post.
https://www.pns.nl/gehoortest-baby
