Staff shortages delay heel prick tests for newborns

Newborn babies in Amsterdam and neighbouring Amstelland municipalities are currently waiting longer than the standard four to seven days after birth to receive their heel prick test.

A spokesperson for regional health service GGD Amsterdam confirmed that some infants are now being tested after nine, ten or even more days.

The test takes a few drops of blood from a baby’s heel to screen for rare, severe and hereditary conditions, including muscle diseases, thyroid disorders and cystic fibrosis.

Birth spike and summer heat

The service points to a significant rise in births across the region as a primary cause of the shortage. In 2025, GGD had 9,906 children under the age of one in its care across Amsterdam and Amstelland, while that figure had already reached 11,421 by September this year.

Extreme heat during the past summer also made many initial blood samples less reliable. Health workers had to repeat numerous screenings, pushing waitlists further back.

While most screened babies test negative, delays can slow diagnoses where early medication, treatments or special diets are critical to preventing serious physical or intellectual issues.

Extra capacity deployed

GGD Amsterdam has not recorded exactly how many infants have been affected by the backlog. The service says it has been in close contact with midwives and the public health institute RIVM.

Extra personnel are currently being deployed, and officials expect the current delays will not last much longer. The organisation will also investigate training more permanent staff to perform the test, allowing it to scale up more easily during birth spikes and heatwaves.

Source: Het Parool