In October 2021, The Community Health Clinic (CHC) partnered with Expecting Health to conduct a pilot study on newborn screening education within the Plain community. The goal of the study was to educate the Plain community on the importance of newborn screening while in the prenatal stage. Most newborn screening education materials are online or digital.
The CHC and local midwives who deliver in homes and at the local birthing centers were given the materials to give to their patients during a prenatal visit. The midwives presented the printed book at a prenatal visit, along with a pre- and post-test with basic questions about newborn screening for the mothers to complete before and after they read the newborn screening booklet. The paper pre- and post-test materials were then mailed back to the clinic. The pilot was set for three months, October 2021 through January 2021. We had 27 mothers who completed and returned the tests.
The preliminary results show that learning increased from 66.7% of the newborn screening questions correct on the pretest to 98.5% post-test. The success of the pilot and the mothers’ learning about the importance of newborn screening before the baby is born has now given CHC a new goal of providing the booklet to the midwives for daily practice. The midwives or birthing centers that are able to present the expecting mothers with the booklet at prenatal visits opens up communication around the importance of newborn screening and what to expect if your baby were to have an out-of-range result.
Many families only know the newborn screening as “the PKU test” and don’t really understand what the testing is and that it is important to do all three pieces of the newborn screening. By collaborating with local midwives, we are able to help educate the community and provide alternate methods of communicating the information in a digitally driven society.
Thank you to all the midwives and mothers that participated in this pilot. Your participation will improve access to newborn screening materials and education for the community.
Jody Werker, RN, Newborn Screening Coordinator, Community Health Clinic
Marianna Raia, MS, CGC Associate Director of Programs at Expecting Health