Screening Results Reporting Change
Beginning September 29th, 2025, Washington State Newborn Screening Program will report newborn screening results qualitatively instead of numerically. Analyte values will still be reported by our follow-up staff to the appropriate medical providers for babies needing referrals for diagnostic evaluation.
What this means for you:
- No changes to the screening process: The testing procedures and samples remain the same.
- Enhanced result interpretation: Results will be easier to understand and act upon.
Why make this change:
This change is designed to simplify result interpretation for newborn screening reporting. The approach will make it easier for providers to quickly identify results that require follow-up action while maintaining clarity for clinical decision-making.
Qualitative reporting will categorize results as:
- Screen Positive
- Screen Negative
- Borderline
- Indeterminate
- Specimen Unacceptable
- Test Not Done
Please see the example below:
|
Disorder |
Result |
Note |
|---|---|---|
|
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Hemoglobinopathy |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Biotinidase |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Galactosemia |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Amino Acid Profile |
Screen Positive |
See comment |
|
Organic Acid Profile |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Fatty Acid Profile |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) |
Screen Positive |
See comment |
|
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Glycogen Storage Disorder type II (POMPE) |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS-I) |
Screen Negative |
|
|
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) |
Screen Negative |
|
Current Reports
All current quarterly and annual reports can be viewed on the Newborn Screening WTN page. Quarterly lists of specimen errors containing PHI can be accessed through our program’s Secure Remote Viewer (SRV). Please see Secure Remote Viewer for instructions on registering and gaining access.
Screening and Disorder Summary Statistics
Please visit our Screening and Disorder Summaries webpage for information on the number of infants screened, number of specimens tested, and number of infants diagnosed with newborn screening disorders in Washington State. These statistics are updated quarterly.