Holy Cross Hospital and Children’s National Medical Center are offering new mothers at Holy Cross Hospital the opportunity to have their newborns screened for serious heart problems through a test called pulse oximetry, or “pulse ox.”
This test measures the amount of oxygen that is being carried in a baby’s blood by shining a special light through the baby’s skin. It helps to find babies who do not have as much oxygen in their blood as they should, which is common among babies who have serious heart problems.
The test is not painful and only takes a few minutes. The pulse oximetry test is conducted at the hospital after a baby is 24 hours old and before the mother and baby go home. Participation in the screening is voluntary.
If a baby is thought to already have a heart problem they will not be eligible for the test. If a baby has the pulse oximetry test and has a lower reading than we would expect, the doctor or nurse practitioner caring for the baby may order additional tests or refer the infant to specialized physicians.
