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New born pulse oximetry screening: A global perspective
1Department of Neonatology, Birmingham Women's Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Insights
Pulse oximetry screening (POS) effectively detects critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) and is recommended globally. POS also shows potential for reducing neonatal sepsis mortality in low-resource settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Pulse oximetry screening (POS) for congenital heart defects has been studied for over two decades.
- Accumulating evidence and clinical experience confirm POS as a vital tool for identifying critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence supporting pulse oximetry screening for CCHDs.
- To examine the global adoption and implementation strategies of POS.
- To explore the potential of POS in reducing neonatal sepsis morbidity and mortality in low and low-middle-income countries (LLMIC).
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing research on POS for CCHDs.
- Analysis of global adoption rates and implementation approaches.
- Evaluation of POS utility in LLMIC for neonatal sepsis.
Main Results:
- POS meets universal screening criteria and is recommended by international professional bodies.
- Numerous countries have implemented POS, with others in the process.
- POS offers a dual benefit by screening for CCHDs and potentially reducing neonatal sepsis-related deaths.
Conclusions:
- Pulse oximetry screening is a well-established and recommended method for detecting critical congenital heart defects.
- Global implementation of POS is increasing.
- POS presents a significant opportunity to improve neonatal outcomes, particularly in resource-limited regions.
Abstract:
The possibility of pulse oximetry screening (POS) for congenital heart defects was first described over 20 years ago. Since then, an accumulation of research evidence and clinical practice experience has established POS as an important test to detect critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs). POS meets the criteria for universal screening and professional bodies around the globe have recommended universal POS. Many countries have already adopted POS while several others are working towards its implementation. In low and low-middle-income countries (LLMIC), POS has the additional potential for reducing morbidity and mortality from neonatal sepsis. This review summarises the evidence for POS and looks at current global uptake and different approaches to the implementation of POS.
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