Final answer:
The Three-Tier Fetal Heart Rate Interpretation System, including the Apgar score, assesses newborn well-being through skin color, heart rate, reflex, muscle tone, and respiration. Scores below 7 can indicate the need for medical intervention, while scores of 8 or above are normal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Three-Tier Fetal Heart Rate Interpretation System uses a scoring method based on five criteria, which are skin color, heart rate, reflex, muscle tone, and respiration. Each criterion is evaluated with a score of 0, 1, or 2, right after birth at 1 minute and again at 5 minutes. High Apgar scores indicate a successful transition from the womb, while lower scores may show that the newborn is in distress.
Heart rate and respiration are particularly critical in this assessment. A score lower than 7 at the 5-minute mark generally suggests the need for medical help. An emergency situation is indicated by a total score of less than 5. It is normal for a newborn's score to improve between the first and second assessments, with scores of 8 or higher considered normal. For adult heart rates, normal resting heart rates range from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm).