APGAR TEST
This test was developed in 1952 by the late pediatrician,
Dr. Virginia Apgar to quickly evaluate a newborn's condition
after delivery.
Newborns are rated at one minute,
five minutes and 10 minutes after delivery on five qualities: Appearance (color); Pulse (heartbeat); Grimace (reflex); Activity (muscle tone); and Respiration (breathing).
|
|
Sign
|
0 Points
|
1 Point
|
2 Points
|
A
|
Appearance (Skin Color)
|
Blue-gray, pale all over
|
Normal, except for extremities
|
Normal over entire body
|
P
|
Pulse
|
Absent
|
Below 100 bpm
|
Above 100 bpm
|
G
|
Grimace (Reflex Irritability)
|
No Response
|
Grimace
|
Sneeze, cough, pulls away
|
A
|
Activity (Muscle Tone)
|
Absent
|
Arms and Legs Flexed
|
Active Movement
|
R
|
Respiration
|
Absent
|
Slow, irregular
|
Good, crying
|
A score is given for each sign at one minute and five
minutes after the birth. If there are problems with
the baby an additional score is given at 10 minutes.
A score of 7-10 is considered normal, while 4-7 might
require some resuscitative measures, and a baby with
apgars of 3 and below requires immediate resuscitation.
Although the APGAR test is medically useful,
it does have its limits. In most cases long-term behavior
of the baby should not be attached to the APGAR score
|
