Objective:

To determine the sensitivity and specificity of pulse oximetry to detect congenital heart disease in healthy newborns in rooming-in.

Material and methods:

The study is multicenter, prospective and cross-sectional, evaluating patients from the Regional Hospital of High Specialty "Bicentenario 2010" and the General Hospital “Dr. Norberto Treviño Zapata”, in the city of Victoria Tamaulipas, in a period from march 2015 to March 2017. Pulse oximetry was determined in healthy newborns before hospital discharge.

Results:

511 newborns were studied. The sensitivity detected was 88.89% and a specificity of 99.80%.

Conclusion:

Congenital heart disease in healthy newborns in rooming-in can be determined by pre- and post-ductal pulse oximetry.