The Apgar score was actually invented by a physician named Virginia Apgar and it's a way that we can assess a baby's health and if there is a need for more intensive care right after the birth. It's a set of five things that are being evaluated. The word APGAR is an acronym for the five things that we are looking for. The first thing would be "Appearance" of the baby and on a scale of 0-2, and this is the color. So what's the color of the baby? Is the baby blue and pale (that would be zero points), two points if the baby is completely pink. The second thing that is being assessed is the baby's "Pulse" or heart rate and 0 would be an absent pulse and pulse or a heart rate over 100 can be given a score of 2; that will be the best. The third thing is the "Grimace;" does the baby show an irritable reflex. No response is 0 and coughing or sneezing or crying would be the best you could get at a 2. And then "Activity;" what's the babies muscle tone. A baby who comes out limp would be a 0 and the baby who is moving its arms and legs or showing good muscle tone would be a 2. Finally, "Respiration;" if the baby is trying to breathe or, and then if the baby is breathing well with and/or crying that's the best it could get. Each of the five things gets a score from 0-2. The baby who has an Apgar score of four or less tells us that the baby needs some medicinal support and respiratory support to help it get going. That initial Apgar score is done within the first minute after birth and then it's done again in five minutes. If the one minute Apgar score is less than seven then we repeat the five minute test and then do another one at 10 or 15 minutes.
