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Proposed Law to Require CHD Testing in Newborns
The New Jersey Legislature took an important step toward saving newborns by passing a bill requiring them to be tested for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) prior to release from the hospital.
June 26, 2011 /Health and Fitness PR News/ -- Proposed Law to Require CHD Testing in Newborns
The New Jersey Legislature took an important step toward saving newborns by passing a bill requiring them to be tested for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) prior to release from the hospital. The most common birth defect in infants, approximately one in 100 children are born with some type of structural problem in the heart that can impact the flow of blood through the heart, lungs, and brain. The March of Dimes estimates that 25,000 babies are born each year with CHD, but it is commonly not diagnosed prior to birth.
The measure (A-3744/S-2752) passed unanimously in both the General Assembly and the Senate. Essentially, the law would require a pulse oximetry, or "pulse ox," test to measure the percent of oxygen in the newborn's blood. The test would be performed at least 24 hours post-birth. It is a simple, painless test in which a nurse would place the pulse ox on the baby's foot by a sticky strip, like a band-aid, and takes just a few minutes to perform.
A low reading would prompt more extensive testing, such as a heart ultrasound or echocardiogram. Proponents of the bill realize that pulse ox tests may not identify all CHD, but it is a significant step towards early detection. Some types of CHD cause little if any health problems in infants, but failing to detect critical CHD prior to letting the child go home can lead to life-threatening events. Untreated CHD could lead to cardiogenic shock and organ failure.
Ruben Ramos, one of the bill's sponsors, explained that even one child through this test would make this law worthwhile. Co-sponsor Jason O'Donnell had a child born with CHD, but he would not have known about the pulse ox test if he wasn't told about it. He told the Hudson Reporter "This bill is common sense. We have a mandatory check for hearing in newborns, and it's about time we establish a mandatory check for life-threatening heart defects." Further, it would ostensibly reduce the risk of medical malpractice suits against medical providers for failing to detect birth injuries.
Lawmakers in Indiana, Tennessee and Pennsylvania are working on similar bills.
Article provided by Seigel Capozzi Law Firm LLC
Visit us at www.seigellawfirm.com
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