'New Born Screening' and mental health OPD service started at maternity hospital from today

Two new services have been started at the Paropakar Maternity & Women's Hospital, Thapathali Kathmandu. The hospital has started the OPD of mental health services for pregnant and postpartum women and the 'New Born Screening' service to detect hereditary diseases in newborns.

Inaugurating the services today, Health and Population Minister Pradeep Paudel said that these services were essential and were started to diagnose the possible mental health issues of pregnant women and the risk of hereditary problems of the newborn. 

Minister Paudel further committed to ensuring required manpower and equipment to run the services smoothly.

Director of the hospital, Dr Shree Prasad Adhikari, said that the mental health OPD service has been started because there is a high risk of anxiety among women during pregnancy or childbirth.

He said, "Mental health problems during pregnancy and childbirth have a negative impact not only on women but also on the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of children. If the problem is identified in time, it could be addressed."

Dr Adhikari said that the service was started to identify 'metabolic disorders' in newborns and treat them in time and to reduce the mortality rate of newborns. The hospital has conducted this test on 205 infants since last July.

The 'blood spot test' performed within a few days after the birth of a newborn is called the 'newborn screening test'. Various types of genetic problems could be detected in newborns through this test. Currently, six hereditary diseases could be identified through this test and the goal is to provide services for other diseases by adding more resources in the future.

Necessary treatment will be provided immediately to babies who test positive.