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Michigan newborns to get heart test next year

LANSING, MI (AP)--   Health officials say that starting next year a test will be used to screen all newborns in Michigan for critical congenital heart disease. 

The Michigan Department of Community Health announced Wednesday that pulse oximetry screening will be used statewide starting in April. Every Michigan newborn currently is screened for 54 different disorders through bloodspots sent to the agency.

The state says about 65 Michigan birthing hospitals currently screen for CCHD, and 14 more plan to offer the screening soon. Officials earlier began a demonstration project to work with birthing hospitals on the voluntary use of this heart screening.

Failure to detect heart problems puts babies at risk of death or other serious complications within the first few days or weeks of life.

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.