Pulse Oximeter Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease in Newborns

The early detection of life-threatening, critical congenital heart defects in newborn babies still presents an important clinical challenge. Most defects are amenable to intervention but timely diagnosis (ie, before presentation with cardiovascular collapse or death) is crucial. In high-income countries, examination and, increasingly, antenatal ultrasound have formed the basis of screening, but test accuracy of these procedures is variable and many babies with critical congenital heart defects are discharged before diagnosis. Pulse oximetry screening of newborn infants increases early detection of critical congenital heart disease and minimises the risk of circulatory collapse before surgery. This study provides an update on the implementation of pulse oximetry screening in Turkey