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A study published in Acta Paediatrica highlights the ongoing challenge of detecting critical congenital heart defects (CHDs) in newborn infants. Despite extensive prenatal and postnatal screening, clinicians still miss a significant number of CHDs. The study found that 46% of severe CHDs were detected prenatally, 39% were detected postnatally before discharge, and 13% were detected after discharge. Pulse oximetry screening, fetal ultrasound screening, and physical examinations are all established methods for detecting CHDs, but their effectiveness varies. The authors emphasize the need for cost-effective analyses of newborn heart screening to improve detection rates. [Extracted from the article]