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The Newborn Foundation is a Minnesota-based international 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to spread the implementation of neonatal screening to reduce infant mortality.
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Background
The Newborn Foundation is credited with persuading the United States Department of Health and Human Services to formally recommend universal pulse oximetry screening for congenital heart defects in every child born in the United States. Annamarie Saarinen co-founded the Newborn Foundation in 2010 after her daughter, Eve Saarinen, was nearly discharged from her hospital nursery with an undetected critical congenital heart defect (CCHD). Saarinen formed the Newborn Foundation to ensure the addition the CCHD testing to the federal Routine Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP).The Newborn Foundation awarded OZ Systems CEO Dr. Terese Finitzo the EVE Innovation Award for achievements in newborn screening, policy and technology.
BORN project
After successfully implementing policy that would create mandates around newborn heart screening in the United States, the Newborn Foundation launched the BORN (Birth Oximetry Routine for Newborns) project. The BORN project is a global health initiative that aims to bring affordable, mobile newborn screening to developing nations. In September 2015, the BORN project was selected by the United Nations and the White House as one of 14 innovation projects to help achieve their 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.