Results of Neonatal Screening in a Fourth-Level Institution in Bogotá, Colombia

Introduction: Law 1980, 2019, regulates the practice of neonatal screening and constitutes it as the right of every newborn. Hospital Universitario San Ignacio is the pioneer hospital in Colombia to implement these activities according to the law as part of the comprehensive newborn care program. Objective: To describe the first results of the implementation of basic neonatal screening as it was stated by law in a fourth-level institution in Bogota, Colombia. Materials: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study from October 1, 2020, to January 1, 2022. The sample included live births, excluding those who died in the first month of life. Results: 1255 newborns were assessed. The red reflex was abnormal in 0.2%, 4.5% were not performed, and the rest were normal. Basic metabolic screening (BMS) was authorized by the EPS in 63.2% of the patients, and the mean time for sampling was the first 5 days of life. Adherence of family members was 69.6%. The neonatal TSH screening was performed in 100% of the newborns, and 98.2% were normal. In screening for congenital heart disease, 94% of patients were normal. The hearing screening result was normal in 99.6%. Conclusions: Neonatal screening as indicated in Colombian law is feasible for implementation, its results benefit patient care so strategies for its implementation must be developed. Continuity must be given to increase the opportunity in other hospitals.