0111/23, 8:15 PM |What s the Apgar Score? (fr Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth NEMOURS. Kfagigaalth. For Kids For Teens For Educators SEARCH KidsHealth Parents What Is the Apgar Score? What Is the Apgar Score? en espafiol: Qué es la puntuacién de Apgar? Medically reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD Listen Print What Is the Apgar Score? The Apgar score is a test given to newborns soon after birth. This test checks a baby's heart rate, muscle tone, and other signs to see if extra medical care or emergency care is needed. Babies usually get the test twice: 1 minute after birth, and again 5 minutes after they're born. If there are concerns, a baby may get the test again. What Does It Check? The Apgar score measures five things to check a baby's health. Each is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score: 1. Appearance (skin color) 2. Pulse (heart rate) 3. Grimace response (reflexes) 4. Activity (muscle tone) Intps:edsheatth.orgleniparents/apgar0.timl MORE ON THIS TOPIC FOR: Parents Newborn Screening Tests Your Newborn's Hearing, Vision, and Other Senses Your Child's Checkup: Newborn The First Day of Life Your Newborn 480111/23, 8:15 PM |What s the Apgar Score? (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth NEMOURS. KidsHealth. factors for the Apgar score. Scores are between 10 and 0. Ten is the highest score possible, but few babies get it. That's because most babies! hands and feet remain blue until they have warmed up. ApgarSign = 2 1 Appearance Normal Normal (skin color) —colorall color (but over hands (hands and feet andfeet are are pink) bluish) Pulse Normal Below heart rate) (above —*100 beats 100 beats per per minute minute) Grimace Pulls Facial ("reflex away, moverne irritability’) sneezes, nt only coughs, (grimace) or with cries with stimulati stimulatio on n Active, Arms and one) spontane legs ous flexed movemen with little t moveme nt Respiration Normal Slowor rate and irregular effort, breathin good cry Intps:edsheatth.orgleniparents/apgar0.timl 0 Bluish- gray or pale all over Absent {no pulse) Absent (no respon se to stimula tion) No. move ment, “floppy "tone Absent. {no breathi )) 21510/11/29, :15 PM Whats the Apgar Score? (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHeath NEMOURS. Ababy who scores a7 or above on the test is considered in good health. A lower score does not mean that your baby is unhealthy. It means that your baby may need some immediate medical care, such as suctioning of the airways or oxygen to help him or her breathe better. Perfectly healthy babies sometimes have a lower-than-usual score, especially in the first few minutes after birth. Aslightly low score (especially at 1 minute) is common, especially in babies born: * after a high-risk pregnancy + through a C-section + after a complicated labor and delivery + early At 5 minutes after birth, babies get the test again. Ifa baby's score was low at first and isn't better, or there are other concerns, the doctors and nurses will continue any needed medical care. They'll watch the baby closely. What if My Baby Has a Low Score? Many babies with low scores are healthy and do just fine after getting used to life outside the womb. If your doctor or midwife is concerned about your baby's score, they'll let you know and will explain how your baby is doing, what might be Intps:edsheatth.orgleniparents/apgar0.timl 350111/23, 8:15 PM |What s the Apgar Score? (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth NEMOURS. KidsHealth. What Else Should | Know? This test helps health care providers tell a newborn's overall physical condition so they can quickly decide if a baby needs medical care right away. It isn't meant to predict a baby's long-term health, behavior, intelligence, personality, or outcome. With time to adjust to their new environment and with any needed medical care, most babies do very well Medically reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD Date reviewed: February 2018 Share: Abou Contact Partners Editorial Permissions Us U Policy Guidelines ination Note: All informat Nemours® KidsHealth@ is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, oundation. Nemou en's Health®, KidsHealth: tered trademarks of The Nemours Foundation. All right nours Foundation and Getty Images. bntps:edsheath orglen/parensiapgar0. html 46