The rating is based on a scale of 1 to 10. 10 suggests the healthiest infant, and scores below 5 indicate the infant needs immediate assistance in adjusting to the new environment.
Heart rate is evaluated by stethoscope.
This is the most important assessment. If there is no heart beat, the infant scores 0 for heart rate. If there is a heart beat less than 100 beats per minute, the infant scores 1 for heart rate. If there is a heart beat greater than 100 beats per minute, the infant scores 2 for heart rate. If the respirations are slow or irregular, the infant scores 1 for respiratory effort.