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.