Apgar Score

Apgar Score

When a baby is born, the newborn is evaluated and given an Apgar score. An Apgar score is useful in determining if a newborn needs medical attention. There are five criteria used to calculate the Apgar score. The criteria are skin color, heart rate, reflex irritability, muscle tone, and respiration. Each of the criteria is scored on a scale of zero to two, making the total maximum Apgar score ten.

The newborn is usually tested at one minute and five minutes after birth. A score of three or below is considered critically low. An Apgar score of seven or more is considered normal. If a newborn continues to have a low score, they are at risk for suffering long-term neurological damage.

Even though a low Apgar score may be the result of an ongoing health problem, the purpose of the test is to quickly determine the newborn’s immediate need for medical care. The test helps doctors know how well the baby is breathing.

If the color and respiration scores are low, it may indicate that the newborn needs medical support to breathe. If the scores are high, the baby’s lungs are probably expanding well and taking in enough oxygen.