Apgar Score Assessment for Newborn Health

APGAR parameters in newborns

The APGAR assessment is a rapid test to assess the health of newborns.
The test is usually performed 1 and 5 minutes after birth.
Five criteria are assessed: respiratory effort, pulse, basal tone (muscle tone), skin coloration (appearance) and reflex response.
Each criterion is scored from 0 to 2 points, a maximum of 10 points is possible.
An APGAR score of 7 to 10 is considered normal.
The score helps to decide, whether immediate medical action is required.
The test was named after Virginia Apgar, an anesthesiologist, who developed it.