Pediatric Services
Screening Newborns for Heart Disease
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.
Researching Heart Problems in Infants
This screening
is being offered as part of a research study being conducted by Children’s National
Medical Center at Holy Cross Hospital to determine the best way to screen
for serious heart problems in babies.
Serious heart problems in infants
are sometimes found when doctors and nurses listen to babies’ hearts
or notice that they have an unusual heartbeat, blood pressure or breathing
pattern. These methods can find some problems, but they cannot find
them all. It is very important to find serious heart problems early
because they can cause babies to become sick after they go home.
Children’s
National Medical Center and Holy Cross Hospital are working to find
another way to find serious heart problems while babies are in the
nursery. We also are working to determine the best way to tell mothers
about the pulse oximetry test and the best way to ask them whether
or not they would like for their baby to be screened for serious heart
problems. Before leaving the hospital, mothers may be asked questions
about screening, which will help to identify the best way to tell
mothers about the screening.
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For
more information, contact Elizabeth Bradshaw, RN, Congenital
Heart Defect Screening Program Coordinator, at 202-476-5270. |