How to Interpret a Baby's Apgar Score

The Apgar score is an evaluation used by health care practitioners to assess your baby's physical condition right after birth. The test is not invasive and is administered at one minute and five minutes after birth in the same room where your baby is delivered. If your practitioner has any concerns, she'll likely administer the test one more time at 10 minutes after birth. Each factor of the evaluation is measured on a scale of 0 to 2, with a total Apgar score between 0 and 10. Most babies don't receive a perfect score of 10, and often those who receive a slightly lower score than normal will do just fine.

Instructions

    • 1

      Figure out the meaning of the total score. A baby who receives a score of 8 or more is often considered to be in good health, but a baby with a lower score is not necessarily unhealthy. He might require additional care, such as having his airways suctioned to help improve his breathing, explains the Medline Plus website. The test is repeated at five minutes after birth and, if the score remains low, your health care practitioner will continue with additional care and close monitoring.

    • 2

      Understand how the total score is ascertained. The test is divided into five factors: heart rate, breathing, grimace, activity and appearance. Each factor is measured on a scale of 0 to 2. A score of 2 is considered normal, whereas 0 or 1 indicates that there might be a need for a little extra care.

    • 3

      Recognize the purpose of the test, which was designed to assess your newborn's immediate, overall condition for quick intervention if necessary. The test does not predict the physical, mental or emotional health of your baby in the long term, advises the American Academy of Pediatric's Healthychildren.org website. Some babies will receive a lower score because it takes them a little extra time to adjust to the outside world and others simply require a little additional medical care.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How many babies are born in a week?
      Its impossible to give an exact number for how many babies are born in a week because birth rates vary greatly depending on location and time of year. Heres why:* Global Scale: There are millions of births worldwide each week. * Regional Differences
    • How many diapers should a newborn baby go through in 6th months?
      Its impossible to give an exact number of diapers a newborn will use in 6 months. The amount varies greatly depending on several factors:* Babys feeding: Breastfed babies tend to have looser stools, which means more diaper changes. Formula-fed babies
    • What do you give the baby after they have been weaned off of bottle?
      Once a baby is weaned off of a bottle, they transition to solid food and drinks like regular milk. Heres a breakdown of what theyll be eating:Solid Foods:* Start with purees: Around 6 months old, you introduce purees of fruits, vegetables, and grai