Mandatory Newborn Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease Saves Lives

Infant deaths from critical CHD declined by 33% in U.S. states that implemented mandatory newborn screening.

Screening newborns after 24 hours of life with pulse oximetry to detect critical (hypoxemic) congenital heart defects was recommended in 2011. To assess the effect of mandatory screening policies on mortality reduction, researchers analyzed U.S. live birth–infant death data for the period 2007 to 2013. They compared rates of early deaths (between age 24 hours and 6 months) from 12 types of CHD conditions between states with versus without mandatory screening.

Between 2011 and 2013, eight states implemented mandatory screening, five states introduced nonmandatory screening, and nine introduced mandatory screening but had not yet implemented screening by 2013. Nationally, between 2007 and 2013, some 2700 infant deaths occurred from critical CH…

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

Mandatory Newborn Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease Saves Lives

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Reviewing Author