Genoype test for babies

At what age can a new born baby do the genotype blood test?

Cecilia (by SMS)

Sickle cell disease can be diagnosed in an unborn baby by sampling some of the fluid surrounding the baby in the mother’s womb (amniotic fluid) to look for the sickle cell gene. Generally, routine screening for babies should ideally be done at birth and neonatal period or at the latest, between six and nine months. A blood test can check for haemoglobin S — the defective form of haemoglobin that underlies sickle cell anaemia. In adults, a blood sample is drawn from a vein in the arm. In young children and babies, the blood sample is usually collected from a finger or heel. The sample is then sent to a laboratory, where it’s screened for hemoglobin S. If the screening test is negative, there is no sickle cell gene present. If the screening test is positive, further tests will be done to determine whether one or two sickle cell genes are present.