Since then, research has shown that a baby’s Apgar score is not a good indicator of asphyxiation, and it doesn’t predict neurological issues in term or preterm babies. In the past, it was used to predict whether a baby would survive or have neurological problems, and doctors used it to diagnose asphyxia during birth. The Apgar test was created in 1952 by anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar, M.D., to check whether babies needed resuscitation after their mothers got anesthesia during delivery. Most of the time, a low Apgar score is the result of difficult birth, a C-section or fluid in the baby’s airway. If your baby gets a low Apgar score, she may need oxygen or to have her airway cleared out, or she may need some physical stimulation to get her heart rate up. Once in a while, a baby with a low score at 5 minutes may get tested again at the 10-minute mark. Most low scores at 1 minute are normal 5 minutes later. The first test will be done 1 minute after birth to see how well your newborn made it through the labor and delivery process.Īt 5 minutes after birth, the test will be repeated to see how he’s doing now that he’s out in the world. In fact, even babies whose scores remain low at 5 minutes usually turn out to be completely healthy.Īll babies get at least two Apgar scores in the delivery room. While the Apgar test can tell a lot about your baby’s condition in the few minutes after birth, it doesn’t tell you much about anything long-term. Good breathing (crying): 2 Does a low Apgar score mean my baby won't be healthy?.Here the doctor, midwife or nurse will check how well your baby is breathing. A lot of activity: 2 Respiration/Breathing Effort.This category measures how much your baby is moving around. Grimacing with a cough, sneeze, or lusty cry: 2 Activity/Muscle Tone.Reflex irritability, also called the grimace response, is how your baby reacts to stimulation like a light pinch (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt). Heartbeat of 100 beats per minute or more: 2 Grimace/Reflexes.Heartbeat of fewer than 100 beats per minute: 1.Using a stethoscope, the doctor or nurse will listen to your baby’s heart. Is your baby’s skin pink (healthy) or blue (unhealthy)? Here’s how the scoring works in Apgar tests: Appearance/Skin Color An Apgar score under 4 means a newborn is in poor condition and needs immediate medical attention.An Apgar score of 4 to 6 means a baby is in fair condition and may require some resuscitation measures.An Apgar score is 7 to 10 means a newborn is in good to excellent health, usually only requiring routine post-delivery care.The Apgar test measures your baby's heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflex response and color in the first minutes of life. The higher the Apgar score, the better your baby is doing. Apgar is an acronym, standing for the following criteria:Ī pediatrician, OB/GYN, midwife or nurse will assign your newborn an Apgar score from 0 to 2 on each of the five criteria, with a total of 10 possible points.
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