New vacuum stethoscope for immediate monitoring and recording of resuscitation of the newborn.

A new, low-cost, noninvasive system is described, which accurately monitors and records both the initial respirations and heart rate of the neonate during resuscitation and the first critical seconds of life. The apparatus consists of a vacuum stethoscope attached to an ordinary cassette tape recorder and a 12-inch loudspeaker. The system was found to be a more accurate tool for assessing neonatal heart rate than the empirical estimation as part of the Apgar scoring system. In 6 of 37 births monitored, recordings indicated discrepancy between the actual heart rate and that estimated in the Apgar scoring system.