Newborn babies to be tested for health condition affecting Jesy Nelson’s twins

Newborn babies will be tested for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) – a condition which affects singer Jesy Nelson’s twins – as part of a national trial from Thursday. Evidence will be gathered on how screening works in practice, including how quickly babies can be referred for specialist help, before the UK National Screening Committee looks at whether to make it a permanent part of the blood spot test programme. At the moment, the newborn blood spot (formerly known as the heel prick) test checks if babies have any of 10 rare conditions, some of which can be life-threatening.

SMA affects around 60 to 70 babies born in England every year and can cause severe muscle weakness, leading to difficulty moving, breathing and swallowing. Treatments for SMA work best when started as early as possible, ideally before symptoms appear.