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.
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