What does an Apgar score evaluate?

Virginia Apgar (1909 – 1974) was an American physician, obstetrical anesthesiologist and medical researcher, known as the inventor of the Apgar Score. This a way to quickly assess the health of a newborn child immediately after birth in order to combat infant mortality. She was a leader in the fields of anaesthesiology and teratology, and introduced obstetrical considerations to the established field of neonatology.

The letters "APGAR" also provide a neat acronym for the checks required in computing the score:

Appearance (skin colour)

Pulse (heart rate)

Grimace response (reflexes)

Activity (muscle tone)

Respiration (breathing rate and effort).

Each of the checks is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score. A baby who scores a 7 or above on the test is considered in good health.