Test to detect heart disease in newborns is recommended by National Screening Committee

A pilot to screen babies for congenital heart disease has been recommended by the UK National Screening Committee in England.

The pulse oximetry test which was developed by researchers at Birmingham Women’s Hospital and the University of Birmingham measures the amount of oxygen in the blood of newborn babies and will help the NHS to identify more babies with heart disease much sooner, helping to save lives and long term disabilities.

Congenital heart defects affect about 3,500 newborn babies every year. Although babies are already screened for heart problems the new test will identify more babies with serious congenital heart defects at an early stage.

The simple test, where a probe which measures oxygen levels is placed on a baby’s hand and foot, was investigated by a team led by Dr Andrew Ewer (Reader in Neonatal Medicine and Consultant Neonatologist). The trial which recruited more than 20 000 babies across six maternity centres in the West Midlands was published in the Lancet in 2011, the paper received national and international recognition and Dr Ewer was invited to advise the US government about the test. Pulse Oximetry screening is now routine in most of the US states.

Dr Andrew Ewer, Consultant Neonatologist at Birmingham Women’s and Clinical Reader at the University of Birmingham commented,

“I am delighted that the UK National Screening Committee have recommended the pilot of Pulse Oximetry screening. Here at Birmingham Women’s Hospital we have been screening babies using this method for the past six years and we have identified many babies who had problems. I am really pleased that more babies will now have this simple but potentially life-saving test.”