APGAR is a quick test performed on a baby at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. The 1-minute score determines how well the baby tolerated the birthing process. The 5-minute score tells the doctor how well the baby is doing outside the mother's womb.
The test may rarely be done 10 minutes after birth.
The APGAR test is done by a doctor, midwife, or nurse. The health care provider will examine the baby's:
Each category is scored with 0, 1, or 2, depending on the observed condition.
This test is done to determine whether a newborn needs help breathing or is having heart trouble.
The APGAR rating is based on a total score of 1 to 10. The higher the score, the better the baby is doing after birth.
A score of 7, 8, or 9 is normal and is a sign that the newborn is in good health. A score of 10 is very unusual, since almost all newborns lose 1 point for blue hands and feet, which is normal for after birth.
Any score lower than 7 is a sign that the baby needs medical attention. The lower the score, the more help the baby needs to adjusting outside the mother's womb.
Most of the time a low Apgar score is caused by:
If your child has a low Apgar score, he or she may receive:
Most of the time, a low score at 1 minute is near-normal by 5 minutes.
A lower Apgar score does not mean a child will have serious or long-term health problem. The Apgar score is not designed to predict the future health of the child.
Newborn scoring
Haddad GG, Green TP. Diagnostic approach to respiratory disease. In: Kliegman RM,Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds.Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics.19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 366.
Reviewed by: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. and Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine
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