Which newborn procedure is used for disorder screening immediately after birth?

• A. Eye ointment
• B. Vitamin K
• C. Blood sample for disorder testing
• D. Hearing screen

Answer: (C)

Newborn screening is about catching metabolic and genetic disorders early so treatment can start before problems develop. The standard method is to collect a small blood sample, usually from the heel, soon after birth once the baby is stable and feeding well. This tiny test screens for conditions such as metabolic disorders that aren’t evident at birth but can cause serious harm if untreated. The other procedures serve different purposes: eye ointment prevents eye infections, vitamin K prevents bleeding problems, and a hearing screen checks for hearing loss rather than metabolic/genetic disorders.