Maternity research midwives at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) who have reached an important marker in their study of screening new-borns for a rare disorder are inviting more mums to come forward.

The study aims to make it possible to detect spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) shortly after birth and before symptoms develop, so that affected babies can receive treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.

Affecting approximately one in 10,000 births, SMA is a genetic disease that progressively, and irreversibly, destroys the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control movement.

Currently in the UK, babies are not diagnosed with SMA until they start to exhibit symptoms by which time irreversible nerve damage and muscle weakness has occurred.

Taking part is voluntary, and will help establish the feasibility, uptake and effectiveness of the screening for SMA in the UK. For more information, see https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/services/maternity/poole/research