Community Organizations:
There are many different resources available to new families -- both in St. Charles County and the surrounding area. View a list of helpful services here.
Tests and Screenings:
The following tests for newborns are standard practice at Progress West.
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a condition where the body has difficulty breaking down the amino acid, phenylalanine. If this amino acid is compromised, PKW can build up in the blood and causes health problems. All babies have a newborn screening test for PKU. With newborn screening, PKU can be found and treated early so babies can grow up healthy.
Hearing screen - Effective January 1, 2002, Missouri law mandates that all babies born in Missouri undergo a hearing screening. This practice helps identify infants with hearing loss and get treatment to them as soon as possible. Early identification and treatment is important so that speech, language, and learning are not adversely affected. Read more here.
Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)- Newborn screening for critical CHDs involves a simple bedside test called pulse oximetry. This test estimates the amount of oxygen in a baby’s blood. Low levels of oxygen in the blood can be a sign of a critical CHD. The test is done using a machine called a pulse oximeter, with sensors placed on the baby's skin. The test is painless and takes only a few minutes.
Additional Information:
Perinatal & Postpartum Depression (PPD) - True PPD is a clinical depression that affects approximately 10-20 percent of all childbearing women. It’s a real medical condition that can strike pregnant women and those who have just given birth up to the baby’s first birthday. Get more information on PPD from this Missouri DHSS website.