New required test for all Tenn. newborns
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POSTED: 6:16 AM Dec 27 2012
Newborn babies in Tennessee now have a new required heart test.
As of Tuesday, all Tennessee babies will be screened for congenital heart defects with a device called a pulse oximeter.
Few newborns in Tennessee have heart defects but can be fatal if not treated.
Pediatricians at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention say the screening is painless and will measure the baby's blood oxygen.
The new required test is based on recommendations from federal health officials and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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