You are in Medical Library . This test is a screening tool for health care providers to determine what assistance is immediately necessary to help your newborn stabilize.
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.