Heart Rate Assessment at Birth Comparing Stethoscope Versus Tap-based Application

Some newborn babies have difficulty breathing at birth and need help. When babies need help with breathing the clinical team, the team measures heart rate using a stethoscope to check its heart rate and figure out what kind of help they will need. If the heart rate is too low, the clinical team will begin to inflate the baby's lung. Knowing the baby's heart rate quickly is important but the stethoscope is inaccurate, and might delay start of resuscitation. Using a smartphone app that uses screen tapping with a stethoscope could allow heart rate to be measured much faster compared to the stethoscope and allow the clinical team to support the baby's needs better immediately after birth.