After birth, your baby wants to be with you. This time with your baby and your partner is very special for everyone. However, your baby will undergo some tests to ensure their well-being.

Tests for newborns

Newborns delivered in hospital undergo some necessary tests and vaccinations with their parents' consent. If necessary, you will also be advised on how to care for your newborn.

During the first days of life, newborns undergo a hearing screening test, or otoacoustic emission (OAE) test. Early assistance and intervention can reduce the negative impact of congenital hearing loss on quality of life. Screening allows for the identification of children with not only deafness but also mild hearing loss.

Newborns are also tested for various diseases. Children who leave the hospital within the first two days of life (i.e., younger than 48 hours old) are called back to the maternity ward for further testing.

If the test results are normal, the parents and family doctors are not notified separately, but the results are sent to the hospital or maternity ward where the blood sample was taken. All results are stored in the laboratory archive. You or your family doctor will only be contacted if the test results are abnormal.

If the test card has been taken incorrectly and testing is not possible, or if the first test result is above normal, the newborn will be called in for a repeat test.