“A new law, just signed by the Governor, will require all birthing facilities to screen newborn babies for congenital heart defects (CHDs), through a process called pulse oximetry screening,” said Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau). “I’m pleased to have supported this bill in the Senate, and it will save lives through earlier detection of possible heart defects.”
For newborns, pulse oximetry screening involves taping a small sensor to a newborn’s foot while the sensor beams red light through the foot to measure how much oxygen is in the blood.
“Pulse oximetry screening is effective at detecting CHDs that may otherwise go undetected by current screening methods,” said Hannon. “Pulse oximetry screenings are non-invasive, painless, and take approximately one minute to perform.”
This simple tests allows doctors to take the appropriate and necessary steps to ensure newborns get needed care, should they be found to have any heart defects. Under the new law, once an abnormal screening is detected, a baby could be immediately referred to a pediatric cardiologist, allowing doctors to take preventative measures sooner rather than later.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just under 5,000 newborns will have some form of congenital heart defect every year, and these are the leading cause of infant deaths due to birth defects.
The bill was signed into law by the Governor on July 31, and takes effect 180 days from that date.
