Background The PulseOx study was carried out in six hospitals in the West Midlands in 2008. It assessed accuracy of pulse oximetry as a screening tool for congenital heart disease (CHD). We continued to provide routine pulse oximetry screening for all postnatal ward babies ≥35 weeks gestation prior to discharge.

Aim To evaluate the impact of routine pulse oximetry screening on our echocardiography service.

Method We reviewed the indication for echocardiogram (Echo) for babies on the postnatal wards over a 2 year period between January 2009 and December 2010.

Results Data on echocardiograms are described in table 1

Echo for failed pulseOx was abnormal in 24% of cases including two critical lesions.

Conclusion Pulse oximetry screening detects babies with critical CHD who would have potentially otherwise be missed with only a modest increase in number of echocardiograms performed.