Seventy percent of babies in the U.S. are born in states that still fail to carry out the nine core newborn screening tests recommended by the March of Dimes, according to the non-profit's 2004 state-by-state report card on newborn screening. In Oregon, all nine screening tests are conducted.

The March of Dimes is the first national health organization to recommend that every baby born in the U.S. receive, at a minimum, screening for the same core group of nine metabolic disorders as well as hearing deficiency. All of these metabolic disorders can be successfully managed or treated to prevent severe consequences, if diagnosed early.

Few parents realize that the extent of newborn testing depends entirely on the state in which their baby is born. For infants affected with these nine metabolic disorders, the tests can mean the difference between life and death, the March of Dimes says. The March of Dimes encourages states to add more screening tests as resources and capabilities allow.

"The number of screened disorders continues to vary greatly by state. Here we have a simple and inexpensive solution to a potentially devastating problem, and it's time for all states to make newborn screening a top priority," says Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes and a member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders and Genetic Diseases in Newborns and Children.

"Our state chapters and their partners have been working closely with governors, state legislators, and health departments to increase access to these important tests," Dr. Howse says. "I’m encouraged to report today that since this time last year, the number of states that test for the nine core metabolic disorders has risen from nine to 21."

During the 2001 Oregon Legislative Session, March of Dimes volunteers successfully led lobbying efforts to expand newborn screening in Oregon.

Other states that screen for the March of Dimes-recommended list of metabolic disorders include: Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. These states account for about 1.3 million of the approximately 4 million live births each year in the U.S. "This means that only about 32 percent of babies are born in states that carry out the recommended screening," Dr. Howse says.

Dr. Howse says the March of Dimes urges Congress to act and to appropriate $25 million to fund Title 26 of the Children’s Health Act of 2000, to help improve and strengthen state newborn screening programs.

The metabolic disorders on the March of Dimes-recommended list for screening are: phenylketonuria (PKU); congenital hypothyroidism; congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH); biotinidase deficiency; maple syrup urine disease; galactosemia; homocystinuria; sickle cell anemia; and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency. The March of Dimes and the American Academy of Pediatrics also advise a test for hearing deficiency for all newborns.

Newborn screening is done by testing a few drops of blood, usually from a newborn’s heel, before hospital discharge. If a result is positive, the infant will usually be re-tested and given treatment as soon as possible, before becoming seriously ill from the disease.

To learn about the tests offered by Oregon, see the list at marchofdimes.com/nbs.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a five-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.

For free access to national, state and county-level statistics related to pregnancy and maternal and infant health, visit PeriStats, an interactive data resource from the March of Dimes at marchofdimes.com/Peristats.