Newborn Screening

Saving Little Hearts has been advocating pulse oximetry as a means of screening for congenital heart defects in newborns since 2004. As a result we have been involved in programs and studies evaluating pulse oximetry in newborns. Currently there is no legislation requiring pulse oximetry to be done on every baby born but there are a handful of facilities throughout the US doing this test on their own. We encourage every parent to ask for a pulse oximetry test to be done at 24 and 48 hours after their child’s birth. Every hospital has the equipment to do the test and hopefully after numerous parents request it be done the hospital will voluntarily perform this test on all newborns. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about this or other tests to screen for congenital heart defects.

In addition to the works SLH has already done Saving Little Hearts’ Executive Director, Karin Coulter, is currently the chair person of the National Congenital Heart Coalition Screening Committee. As the chair she plans to continue pursuing a reliable means of CHD newborn screening.

Check out the wonderful work Children's National Medical Center is doing with their new CHD screening program.

Click here to download a list of medical papers you can review for more information on CHD newborn screening.