Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screen
The Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screen
Florida Statute 383.14 requires that all pregnant women be offered the Florida Universal Prenatal Screen at their first or consequent prenatal visit and that the Florida Universal Infant Screen be offered to parents or guardians of all infants born in Florida before leaving the delivery facility. Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screens identify risk factors so women and infants may be referred for services that complement and assure continued participation in prenatal and infant health care.
Studies of the Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screens indicate that:
- The Florida Universal Prenatal Screen is predictive of preterm birth and low-birth weight
- 48% of the women who had an adverse birth had a positive screen
- Women with positive scores are 1.7 times or 70% more likely to experience preterm birth or to have a low birth weight infant
- The Florida Universal Infant Screen is predictive of post-neonatal death
- 51% of post-neonatal deaths occur among infants that had a positive screen
- Infants who score 4 or more on the Florida Universal Infant Screen are 6x as likely to die during the post-neonatal period than those who score less than 4.
Note: Data from Florida Department of Health
What are the Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screens?
The Florida Universal Prenatal Screen is a simple, brief questionnaire that helps you identify factors in a pregnant woman’s life and environment, both medical and psychosocial that might limit growth and development of her infant. The Florida Universal Prenatal Screen is the first step in introducing your patients to the many supportive services provided by home visitation programs.
The Florida Universal Infant Screen is a simple, brief questionnaire that helps the birthing facility identify infants who are at risk for adverse health and developmental outcomes and post-neonatal or infant mortality. Services are tailored to the needs of each family.
Who should be screened for the Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screens?
Every pregnant woman should be offered the confidential Florida Universal Prenatal Screen. It is available to all women, regardless of age, race/ethnicity, income or immigration status. Healthy Start is a free and a voluntary program. If a woman would like to enroll in Healthy Start, she should ask her doctor or healthcare provider to fill out the screen. Florida State Statute, 383.14 (FAC 64-C) requires health care providers delivering prenatal services to complete the Florida Universal Prenatal Screen. Women who score 6 or more on the prenatal screen should be referred for services.
In addition, the Florida Universal Infant Screen is offered for all infants born in Florida before leaving the delivering facility. Encourage every mother to participate in Home Visitation Programs when their infant’s score is 4 or more, indicating that the infant is at high risk.
Please be advised that Home Visitation Programs and their provided services do not replace the care you provide as the client’s medical provider. However, the program and services provided help support women with any issues that might affect their health and the health and well-being of their baby. The Coalition encourages you and your practice to offer these screens to your clients and ensure submission in a timely manner, within 5 days from the date of completion, to the local county health department:
Attention: Healthy Start Program
Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County
18255 Homestead Avenue
Miami, Florida 33157
Your assistance in completing the Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screens play a vital role in ensuring that all pregnant women and infants get a chance to having a Healthy Start in life. We count on your support and commitment in ensuring that all women are screened. For additional information, please feel free to contact the Coalition via our Contact Us page by clicking below.
Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screening Rates in Miami-Dade
In order for pregnant women and infants to receive services, the screening process plays a vital and critical role. Each medical practice has a responsibility to offer the Florida Universal Prenatal and/or Infant Screen to all women/infants. In addition to identifying risks and linking consenting patients to available services, this data helps with research, epidemiological study, and county by county comparisons about maternal, infant and child health.
Florida Universal Prenatal Screens assist to reduce the infant mortality rate. Taking two minutes to conduct this screen can change a birth outcome. Women are eligible to participate in Home Visitation Programs when they choose “yes” to the screen.
Every screen counts and the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade works with each provider in our community to ensure that all screens are completed. Below, you’ll see a comparison of our Florida Universal Prenatal and Infant Screens in Miami-Dade. We track these trends on a weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis and communicate this data to you through our Community Liaison’s. If you would like to have one of our liaison’s visit you, you may contact us at outreach@hscmd.org and someone from our Team will be happy to follow-up. Below you’ll see our current trends in Miami-Dade:
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