What is the Apgar test (Apgar score)?

The Apgar test is usually given twice to a newborn baby: once at 1 minute after birth, and again at 5 minutes after birth. Sometimes, if there are concerns about the baby's condition or the 5 minute score is low, the test may be given a third time at 10 minutes after birth. The 1-minute score determines how well the baby tolerated the birthing process. The 5-minute (10-minute) score normally tells the doctor how well the baby is doing outside the mother's womb.

Rarely, does any baby get a perfect score on this test, and it is not a predictor of the baby's future behavior or intellect. The Apgar test was developed in 1952 by obstetric anesthesiologist, Virginia Apgar, and has become a standard tool in assessing newborn babies. The test specifically measures the baby’s color, heart rate, reflexes, muscle tone and respiratory effort.

The Apgar test range goes from zero to two for each of the five stated conditions with a maximum final total score of ten. At one minute, an Apgar score between seven and ten indicates that the baby will need only routine post delivery care. A score between four and six indicates that some assistance with breathing might be required. A score under four can call for prompt, lifesaving measures.

With the five minute test, a score of seven to ten is normal. If the score falls below seven, the baby is continuously monitored and retested up to twenty minutes.