The APGAR scale is a test done on the newborn, just after birth, to evaluate the general state and vitality of the baby.
During the test, some signs presented by the baby are evaluated, such as skin color and the number of heartbeats, which are scored according to the APGAR scale to give a final result. This evaluation is done soon after birth and repeated 5 minutes later.
Although the result of the APGAR scale cannot predict problems in the health of the baby in the future, there is a higher risk of diseases such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy when the results are very low.
What is it for
The APGAR scale serves to evaluate the general condition of the baby after birth and the response to care within the delivery room, such as aspiration and ventilation, when these are indicated.
How it is done
The APGAR is done by the pediatrician or neonatologist through the evaluation of the baby moments after birth according to each sign on the scale, and each is assigned a value that corresponds to the state of the baby at that time. Thus, at the end of the evaluation, the value of all the evaluated signals is added to obtain a final result.
Usually, the evaluation is performed at the end of the first and fifth minutes after birth and, in some cases, can be repeated every 5 minutes until it is 20 minutes after delivery.
Table of APGAR Scale
The APGAR scale scores the signs that the baby presents, according to the table:
At the end of the evaluation, the score of each sign is added to obtain a unique value, which ranges from 0 to 10.
What the result means
The result of the APGAR scale is considered normal when it has a value greater than 7. This indicates a lower risk of complications after birth, such as infections and hypoglycemia, compared to babies who have lower results.
Although results below 7 do not indicate that the baby will have health complications in the future, they are associated with a higher risk of diseases such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy, especially when identified in the 5th minute of life.
What happens when the result is less than 7
Most babies with less than 7 in the first minute on the APGAR scale are healthy and this value typically increases over the first 5 to 10 minutes of life.
However, the score can be influenced by situations such as:
Thus, when the result remains low it can be indicated that the baby is hospitalized in a neonatology unit, to receive more specific care and ensure that it develops in the best possible way.
Generally, a low APGAR value does not predict any kind of outcome about the child’s intelligence, personality, health, or behavior in the future, however there is a higher risk of changes.
A doctor graduated from the Federal University of Rio Grande with CRM at 28364 and specialist in Pediatrics by the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics.
