Several factors can contribute to false positives in neonatal screening:
- Biological Variations: Newborns can have transient conditions that mimic the disorders being tested for, such as temporary [hypothyroxinemia]() or benign metabolic anomalies. - Technical Errors: Issues like sample contamination, improper handling, or equipment malfunction can lead to incorrect results. - Test Sensitivity and Specificity: Highly sensitive tests are more likely to detect true positives but may also produce more false positives. Conversely, highly specific tests are less likely to produce false positives but may miss some true cases.
