title: Neonatal pulse oximetry screening: a national survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies suggest that universal pulse oximetry (PO) screening of all neonates before hospital discharge improves the detection rate of congenital heart disease (CHD). The aim is to survey the use of Pulse Oximetry (PO) screening in UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  A telephone interview was conducted between late 2009 to mid-2010 of all maternity units using a standardised questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  209(93%) of 224 responding units did not routinely use PO. Among the 15 that performed PO, 5 measured pre and post ductal saturations, 9 measured only post-ductal saturations, and 1 measured only pre-ductal saturations. There were differences in the values used to trigger further investigation, ranging from <94% to <96% and/or difference of > 2-3% between pre and post-ductal saturations. When saturations were abnormal, 13 units performed echocardiography locally. In addition to an echocardiogram, 2 units performed chest x-ray (CXR); 2 units performed electrocardiogram (ECG) and 2 units performed both CXR and ECG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only a minority of hospitals across the UK use PO to supplement the postnatal examination with inconsistent practice. National guidelines should be developed if PO screening is implemented with an agreed management plan if abnormal results are obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Basildon University Hospital, Essex, United Kingdom Department of Paediatrics, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kelsall