The Ankeny Laboratory on Aug. 26 conducted a training exercise for two members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Newborn Screening Quality Assurance Program (NSQAP). http://www.cdc.gov/labstandards/nsqap.htm

Sherri Stevens and Nancy Meredith spent the day observing operations of UHL's newborn screening program(NBS). On Aug. 27, they met with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics staff who follow up with the families of babies who are identified through UHL testing as presumptive positive.

Pat Timmins, newborn screening analyst

"Their visit was intended to be a learning experience about the laboratory and follow-up operations of an active newborn screening program," said Stan Berberich, newborn screening program manager. Ankeny staff discussed the laboratory testing process and how UHL interacts with other partners in the NBS program.

"They spent the morning touring the Ankeny NBS laboratory to learn about the screening we perform and gave a presentation about their NSQAP program, explaining how they make the blood spot samples sent out quarterly for proficiency testing," added Marcia Valbracht, newborn screening supervisor.

The Hygienic Laboratory is identified by the Iowa Department of Public Health as the designated laboratory for Iowa's screening programs administered through the Department's Center for Congenital and Inherited Disorders.

Each year approximately 3,000 babies with severe disorders are identified in the United States using newborn screening programs.