After your baby is delivered, it seems a medical team appears out of thin air.
There is a great hustle and bustle, with people surrounding your little one.
This is the neonatal team that is usually called in as soon as your baby enters
the world. They specialize in evaluation and resuscitation of newborns.
What is an Apgar Score?
Your baby's apgar score will be evaluated in the first and fifth minute after
your baby is born. Scoring is from 0 to 10. If your baby receives a
low apgar score, he or she will require additional attention from the medical
staff. The following chart is used to evaluate your baby's apgar score:
Sign
0
1
2
Heart Rate
Absent
Less Than 100 Per Minute
More than 100 Per Minute
Respiratory Effort
Apneic
Weak, Irregular, Gasping
Regular
Reflex
No Response
Some Response
Facial Grimace, Sneeze, Cough
Muscle Tone
Flaccid
Some Flexion
Good Flexion of Arms and Legs
Color
Blue, Pale
Body Pink, Hands and Feet Blue
Pink
The values above of 0, 1 and 2 will be added to reach your total, which will
be between 0 and 10. If your baby's score is between 7 and 10, he or she
will probably not need additional medical attention. If the score is
between 4 and 7, your baby may need a bit of help such as a back rub to help
expel fluids from the lungs. If the score is under four, your baby may be
put on oxygen or need further medical attention from the neonatal staff.
