You may have heard the words “Apgar Score” mentioned at the time of your delivery. The Apgar is a rating that is given to newborns to track a baby’s transition from in the womb to life outside.
The Apgar scale consists of five areas of evaluation:
• Blueness of the skin
• Breathing rate
• Heart rate
• Response to stimuli
• Muscle tone
• Blueness of the skin
• Breathing rate
• Heart rate
• Response to stimuli
• Muscle tone
Each area is rated 0, 1 or 2 and the baby is scored at 1 and 5 minutes of life.
A score of seven or above is considered good with the second score being the most important.
A score of seven or above is considered good with the second score being the most important.
| Apgar Sign | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Heart Rate (pulse) |
Normal (above 100 beats per minute) | Below 100 beats per minute | Absent (no pulse) |
| Breathing (rate and effort) |
Normal rate and effort, good cry | Slow or irregular breathing, weak cry | Absent (no breathing) |
| Grimace (responsiveness or "reflex irritability") | Pulls away, sneezes, coughs, or cries with stimulation | Facial movement only (grimace) with stimulation | Absent (no response to stimulation) |
| Activity (muscle tone) |
Active, spontaneous movement | Arms and legs flexed with little movement | No movement, "floppy" tone |
| Appearance (skin coloration) |
Normal color all over (hands and feet are pink) | Normal color (but hands and feet are bluish) |
Bluish-gray or pale all over |
