Neonatal screening for haemoglobinopathy. Results in 7691 Manchester newborns

Over a period of one year the blood samples collected for phenylketonuria testing from 7691 Manchester newborns were screened by haemoglobin electrophoresis. An abnormality was detected in 47 (0-61%) of the babies. No cases of homozygous haemoglobinopathy were found. The overall incidence of sickle-cell trait was 0-38%, but for the Black population it was 10%. Four Black babies and one White baby had alpha-thalassaemia. No other haemoglobinopathies were found in the White babies and no Asian baby had alpha-thalassaemia. Haemoglobin A2 was precociously developed in three babies, two of whom were coloured--probably a further example of the earlier maturity of coloured babies. The screening programme was stopped when it became cleaasily be combined with screening for metabolic disease in places where the incidence of haemoglobinopathies is higher.