Postnatal Screening and Immunizations

Screenings and Immunizations for Your Newborn

While in the hospital, newborns have screenings and immunizations to help them get the healthiest possible start at life.

Postnatal screenings

  • Newborn metabolic screening: Illinois requires that all newborns be tested for certain rare diseases. These are all inherited diseases and some can cause brain damage if they are not treated in the first few weeks of life. We'll give you a pamphlet that explains the groups of metabolic diseases we test for.
  • Newborn hearing screening: Illinois requires newborns to have a hearing screening before they go home. We'll give you a pamphlet that explains the screening. We will send the results to Illinois and to your pediatrician.
  • Infants will have a car seat challenge test for:
    • A baby born before 37 weeks gestation
    • A baby with a condition that may put them at risk for low blood oxygen levels or apnea
    • A baby with low muscle tone (hypotonia) or micrognathia (when the lower jaw is smaller than usual)
    • A baby who weighs less than 2,000 grams (4.4 pounds)
    • A baby who is at risk for obstructive apnea, bradycardia or hypoxemia
    • A baby who was exposed to opioids in the womb
    • A baby with an abnormal EKG (electrocardiogram) result
    • A baby who needed oxygen supplementation or oxygen therapy
    • A baby who was in the Special Care Nursery (SCN) or the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN)
    • A baby who was observed to have apnea or low blood oxygen levels while they were in the hospital

Postnatal immunizations

Hepatitis B

A hepatitis B immunization is recommended for your newborn.

Tdap

Pregnant patients who have not received a tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination in the last two years should get it as soon as possible after they give birth and before leaving the hospital.

If you have not had the Tdap vaccine within the past two years, you will be asked if you want to receive it before you leave the hospital.

If you have any vaccination questions, please talk to your doctor.