This NIH-funded study will give parents of newborns in several states and territories across the U.S. the opportunity to screen their baby’s DNA for up to hundreds of health conditions that are medically actionable in the first year of life.

Parents will be offered the option to consider consenting and enrolling for newborn genomic sequencing shortly after birth and/or in the prenatal period soon before birth. This study will engage with the community through an active Community Advisory Board (CAB) and early input from key stakeholders, including local newborn screening programs, that will provide important input into the project design.

The goal of this study will be to better understand the feasibility of offering genomic newborn screening as part of the already existing state newborn screening programs, including understanding the interest, uptake and reactions of parents, the newborn screening public health community, clinicians and other important stakeholders.

This project will pave the way for newborn screening programs, doctors, and scientists to understand if parents and states are ready, willing, and able to offer newborn genomic sequencing, and better understand how it might impact the lives of newborns and their parents, while ensuring it is introduced thoughtfully and responsibly nationwide.