apgar score
Noun: A standardized numerical assessment of a newborn infant's physical condition immediately after birth, typically performed at one and five minutes of age. It evaluates five criteria: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and skin color. Each criterion is scored from 0 to 2, with a maximum total score of 10, indicating the best possible condition.
The term is used exclusively as a medical assessment tool in obstetrics and neonatology. It is a proper noun, often capitalized as "Apgar Score," named after its creator, Dr. Virginia Apgar.
- The pediatrician recorded an Apgar score of 9 at one minute, indicating the baby was in excellent health.
- A low Apgar score at five minutes may prompt the medical team to provide additional supportive care.
- The Apgar score is a quick and effective method for evaluating a newborn's transition to life outside the womb.
- "Five-minute Apgar score": This score is considered more predictive of the infant's long-term neurological outcome than the one-minute score.
- "Composite Apgar score": Sometimes used to refer to the total score derived from the five components.
- Apgar: Used informally as a shorthand (e.g., "What was the baby's Apgar?").
- Neonatal assessment: A broader term for evaluating newborn health, which includes the Apgar score.
- Newborn assessment
- Neonatal health score (Note: These are descriptive phrases, not direct synonyms, as "Apgar score" is a specific, trademarked clinical tool.)
The Apgar score is a screening tool, not a diagnostic test. It helps identify infants who need immediate medical attention. It does not predict future development or intelligence.
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an assessment of the physical condition of a newborn infant; involves heart rate and muscle tone and respiratory effort and color and reflex responsiveness
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