Screening for critical congenital heart disease: advancing detection in the newborn.

Purpose Of Review: Screening for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) using pulse oximetry was added to the recommended uniform screening panel through an endorsement by the Health and Human Services Secretary in September 2011. As organizations on both the macrolevels and microlevels consider implementation, research efforts and professional endorsements have been completed, providing important guidance moving forward.

Recent Findings: Screening for CCHD has been endorsed by the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, March of Dimes and American Academy of Pediatrics.

False-negative pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart disease: the case for parent education.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently published evidence-based guidelines for a standardized approach to pulse oximetry as a screening tool for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). The addition of CCHD screening to the standard newborn examination may lead to earlier detection of CCHD and subsequently decreased morbidity and mortality. We report a case of CCHD with excessive pulmonary blood flow that went undetected during routine newborn screening.