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Haemoglobinopathy screening in an maternity hospital
Published in:
Ir Med J, Vol: 99, Page: 184-5
Publication Date:
June 2006
Aims & Objectives:
The aim of this study was to audit an antenatal and neonatal haemoglobinopathies screening program targeting high-risk ethnic groups in the National Maternity Hospital in 2003
Abstract:
Recent changes in population movement mean that an increasing number of mothers who deliver in Ireland and their infants are at risk of haemoglobinopathies, in particular sickle cell anaemia. Early detection of sickle cell anaemia improves outcome. For this reason, many hospitals have established antenatal and neonatal screening programmes targeting high-risk ethnic groups. We audited the provision rate of one such programme operated in the National Maternity Hospital in 2003. Using the hospital's databases, we estimated the number of mothers from high-risk ethnic groups, and how many were appropriately screened. We then calculated the neonatal screening provision rate to those infants at risk of homozygous haemoglobinopathies. In 2003, 1231 (14.9%) women from high-risk ethnic groups delivered in the National Maternity Hospital. Nine hundred and ninety one (80.5%) were screened appropriately. One hundred and thirty of these women had abnormal antenatal screens, resulting in 131 infants delivered at risk of homozygous haemoglobinopathy. Fifty eight of these infants (45%) were screened in the neonatal period. The screening programme audited did not achieve a satisfactory provision rate either antenatally or neonatally.
Authors:
Study Type:
Study Papers » Screening Study » Descriptive Studies - Studies with a health technology dimension
Categories:
antenatal and neonatal haemoglobinopathies
International Classification:
Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism - antenatal and neonatal haemoglobinopathies
Keywords:
- Ethnic Groups
- Female
- Hemoglobinopathies/ diagnosis
- Hospitals, Maternity
- Humans
- Infant, Newborn
- Ireland
- Mass Screening/ statistics & numerical data
- Medical Audit
Geography:
Republic of Ireland (Dublin)



