Has anyone had experience with a newborn failing the pulse ox test? What was the outcome?
My granddaughter was just born full term, 8 lbs, and appearing healthy and strong, 9 on the Apgar.. Labor and delivery went well with no problems as did the pregnancy. However, after 24 hours. before going home, the nurses gave her a pulse ox test for oxygen saturation in the blood in the hand and foot. It was 92%. An hour later they repeated. Failed again. An hour later and she failed the third test.
It's supposed to be at least 95% and most infants are 97-100%. The test is supposed to detect congenital heart or lung defects, Sometimes neonates just have delayed transitional breathing.
Tomorrow they will do an echocardiogram on baby, but please let me know if you have had any experience with this, either as parent or nurse, and what the outcome was. One nurse, trying to reassure us, said 9 times out of 10 it's just a small hole in the heart, which doesn't reassure us at all.
After two more tests that showed her lungs were fine, we were able to bring her home on Christmas eve. What we didn't know was that all fetuses have a hole in the flap in their heart which is how the blood is able to flow between the chambers in the heart before the lungs are used outside of the womb. She didn't have anything she wasn't supposed to have. It's just that the tiny hole didn't close up before birth, like most do. However, it's not uncommon and most holes will seal up as soon as a week or as long as 14 years. Most people don't even know they have a hole in their flap, also called a murmur, from the back slosh to the other chamber in the heart, because the pulse ox test isn't done in every state. The nurse who casually remarked, oh most babies just have a hole in their heart, scared us half to death because we didn't understand what that meant, but obviously, she did.
The amazing thing, for me, about babies is how often EVERYTHING works out to make them 'perfect'...and how rarely something goes 'off'.
I would just wait and see. Even if there is a 'hole' in the heart (an ASD 'atrial septal defect' or a VSD 'ventricular septal defect') many times they DO resolve themselves with no intervention at all.
Take a deep breath. Wait for the test.
I am sending healing thoughts to ALL!!
Best!
I do not have experience failing that particular test, but I do with a hole in the heart. Small holes in the hearts of newborns and toddlers are not uncommon. The vast majority of the time, it is harmless and will correct itself without any interference. My daughter was two when they found a hole in her heart, she is now a very healthy 14 yr old. The hole closed on its own and she never had any issues with it.
I know how scary it is. I also know that being told that it is likely nothing doesn't help. You are in my prayers.
Never had experience with this but my kids have failed tests before. I have always accepted the no big tone to mean no big deal. So far everything has always turned up to be no big deal.
Never met a medical professional that would even consider the no big deal tone for a big deal. They don't like to give bad news but they feel they must prepare you.
I don't know if this will help but rather than leave you waiting for an answer..what you are asking about is pretty rare.
A small hole in the heart can close after birth. My grandson had a small hole at birth and it was closed within a few weeks. That was 11 years ago. My daughter said they told her it was not something to worry about.
I suggest you talk with a medical person. Perhaps her parents would have you go with them to talk with the doctor.
