Definition: The Apgar score is a standardized method for evaluating a newborn's health once they are born and was designed by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952.
Newborns are evaluated at 1 and 5 minutes after they are born, getting either 0,1, or 2 points, depending on their muscle tone (Activity), heart rate (Pulse), reflex irritability (Grimace), skin color (Appearance), and respiratory effort (Respiration).
Some newborns also get an Apgar score when they are 10, 15, and/or 20 minutes old.
In general, an Apgar score above 7 is good, although the Apgar score is not a very good predictor of a baby's long term health. According to the Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 'the Apgar score was not designed to predict neurologic outcome. Indeed, the score is normal in most patients in whom cerebral palsy subsequently develops.'
Pronunciation: Ap-gar
Also Known As: Apgar test
Examples: Our baby came out pink and crying and our pediatrician said that she had a very good Apgar score.
