What is an APGAR Score?

An APGAR score is a basic observation of how well a baby is when it is born – long term, this means absolutely nothing to your baby, but is a useful tool to paramedics, midwifes and obstetricians to determine if they need to provide any interventions to help your new baby settle in to his or her new world.

The APGAR score is often taken at 1 minute and then again at 5 minutes.

The APGAR Score assess 5 observations of the baby with a score of 0-2 for each observation and a maximum of 10.

A- Appearance

Cyanosed/pale =0

Body Pink, Cyanosed Extremities =1

All Pink = 2

Pulse Rate

Absent = 0

<100 per minute = 1

>100 per minute =2

Grimace

None = 0

Grimace =1

Cough, Sneeze or Crying = 2 (babies are supposed to be upset when they’re born and crying is good)

Activity

None =0

Some Flexion =1

Active =2

Respiration

None =0 (don’t let this worry you too much at first, sometimes it takes a while for a newborn – just remember lots of tactile stimulation through drying the baby firmly with a towel)

Slow/ Irregular =1

Fast, Regular =2

And don’t forget, all babies look terrible when they’re born – they’ve just undergone significant trauma, but don’t worry, he or she will improve!