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Content: A health care provider may ask for more testing (such as an ultrasound of the heart or an echocardiogram) when a low pulse oximetry reading is identified. Who Should be Screened and When Will the Test be Done? According to the Children's National Medical Center, all babies in the newborn nursery who are not already thought to have CHD should be screened. The pulse oximetry test should be performed when a baby is older than 24 hours. What is a Normal Reading? A pulse oximetry reading of 95 to 100 percent is normal in healthy babies. Babies with heart or lung problems may have lower readings. A low reading can be normal in newborns whose lungs and heart are adjusting after birth. Can a Baby with Serious CHD Have a Normal Pulse Oximetry Reading? It is possible that the test will not detect all forms of problems in the baby's heart.