Children's Special Health Services
Critical Congenital Heart Disease
Hospital & Provider Resources
In 2011, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services recommended that all newborns be screened for Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) using pulse oximetry. The goal of this screening is to identify newborns with heart defects, often associated with hypoxia, before the newborns are discharged home, preventing serious illness or death caused by a missed or delayed diagnosis. Pulse oximetry screening for CCHD became part of Montana’s newborn screening requirements in July 2014.
Screening Information
- Newborn Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease: A New Algorithm and Other Updated Recommendations: Clinical Report (*NEW* 2025)
- CDC: Clinical Screening and Diagnosis for Critical Congenital Heart Defects
