For the second year in a row, Portugal surpassed the barrier of 80,000 births, after the historic drop in birth rates in 2021, the year in which Portugal recorded the lowest number of births (79,217).

According to data from the National Neonatal Screening Program (PNRN), released by the National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Lisbon was the district with the most “heel prick tests” carried out in 2023, totalling 25,805, plus 963 compared to 2022, followed by Porto, with 15,456 (201 more), Setúbal, with 6,904 (531 more) and Braga, with 6,275 tests carried out, 132 less.

The lowest number of “heel prick tests” carried out was observed in the district of Portalegre, with 554, 30 less than in 2022, Bragança, with 594, 20 more, and in Guarda, with 646 tests, 34 more, according to the coordinated program by INSA, through its Neonatal Screening, Metabolism and Genetics Unit, of the Department of Human Genetics.

November was the month that recorded the highest number of “heel prick tests” last year (7,779), followed by August (7,661), January (7,649), October (7,623), May (7,506), March (7,196), September (7,170), June (7,053), July (7,034), December (6,686), February (6,220) and April (6,178).