Apgar Score
APGAR Scores
First proposed in 1952 by Dr Virginia Apgar, Columbia University in 1952 as a method of assessing the newborn’s need and response to resuscitation. In the 1950s general anaesthesia for obstetric procedures was common and babies often did not establish respiration at birth. The baby is allocated a score from 0-2 for each criterion at 1 minute and at 5 minutes and the total added. An acceptable score is over 5 and most babies score 7 or more. It should not be used as the only measure to evaluate the possibility that neurological damage occurring during the birthing process.