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| Pulse Ox Moms with Governor Tomblin at signing of Pulse Ox Bill, or "Corbin's Law." |
Thanks to the help of several West Virginia “Pulse Ox Moms,” new parents will be able to breathe a little easier when bringing their newborns home from the hospital.
This group of passionate parents began meeting with American Heart Association advocacy staff last summer to discuss the introduction of a bill to require pulse oximetry testing of newborns in West Virginia. This simple, inexpensive, painless bedside test can save countless of lives by helping to detect a critical congenital heart defect before a baby is released from the hospital.
Long before the General Assembly convened, these determined parents were hard at work talking with lawmakers, conducting media interviews, spreading the word through social media, and even presenting to the West Virginia Women’s Caucus, sharing their stories and building strong support for this lifesaving legislation.
“My son inspired me to become an advocate,” said Ruth Caruthers, whose son, Corbin, passed away in May 2011 of a congenital heart defect. Building the support necessary to pass legislation typically takes two to three legislative sessions, but not this time. Thanks to the unwavering dedication of Ruth, Kathy Baker and Michelle Sarver Roth, to name just a few, House Bill 4327 passed in just one session and was signed into law in March.
On behalf of the entire American Heart Association Advocacy team, congratulations and THANK YOU to all the West Virginia “Pulse Ox Moms” who proved that grassroots advocacy can really make a difference in the Mountain State!
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Most of us have a thermometer, blood pressure cuff, or glucometer at home to track specific health concerns. We are just learning how helpful pulse oximeters are at home. Technology can be slow and initially expensive, so the use of pulse oximeters at home is just getting started. But if we have a need for a pulse oximeter, they are now easy to obtain and reasonably priced. If you are buying one on your own, you need to look at the specifications and what it will measure. If you have a heart condition and you know your oxygen saturation is usually 85%, you don’t want to get a pulse oximeter that only measures 90 to 100% accurately. A good home pulse oximeter should measure 70% and above with good accuracy.
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