Pulse oximetry screening at 4 hours of age to detect critical congenital heart defects.

Objective: The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the feasibility and reliability of pulse oximetry screening to detect critical congenital heart defects in a newborn nursery.

Methods: The study was performed in a large urban hospital with an exclusively inborn population. Stable neonates who had a gestational age of >or=35 weeks and birth weight of >or=2100 g and in whom a critical congenital heart defect was not suspected were admitted to the newborn nursery.