Role of Pulse Oximetry in Examining Newborns for Congenital Heart Disease

Published: July 06, 2009

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  • Congenital malformations are one of the leading causes of infant death in the United States and other developed nations, and critical congenital cardiac defects are responsible for more deaths than any other type of malformation.
  • Routine pulse oximetry performed on asymptomatic newborns after 24 hours of life, but before hospital discharge, may detect critical congenital heart disease (CCHD).
  • This American Heart Association/American Academy of Pediatrics statement addresses the state of evidence on the routine use of pulse oximetry in newborns to detect CCHD.