What it means
A quick check of how a newborn is adjusting to life outside the womb. Heart rate, breathing effort, muscle tone, reflex response and skin color are each scored 0, 1 or 2, and the scores are added. A total of 7 to 10 is reassuring; lower scores mean the baby needs closer care, and the score is repeated every 5 minutes while it stays low. It does not decide whether to start resuscitation, which begins right away if needed. It is named after Dr. Virginia Apgar, an American anesthesiologist, who created it in 1952.
Remember it
The letters fit: Appearance (color), Pulse, Grimace (reflex response), Activity (tone), Respiration.
At a glance
| Also written | Apgar scores, Apgar scoring, Apgar, APGAR |
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Related terms
newborn
A baby in the first 28 days of life.