Apgar Score
Characteristic | Acronym* | Score† | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 1 | 2 | ||
Color of skin‡ | Appearance | All blue, pale | Pink body, blue hands and feet | All pink |
Heart rate | Pulse | No pulse | Less than 100 beats per minute | More than 100 beats per minute |
Reflex response to stimulation of the nose (by touching it with a finger or a catheter) | Grimace | No response to stimulation | Grimace | Sneeze, cough |
Muscle tone | Activity | Limp, no movement | Some bending of arms and legs | Active movement |
Breathing | Respiration | No breathing | Irregular, slow | Good cry |
* The word "Apgar" is also an acronym. The letters A, P, G, A, and R correspond to the bold letters in this column. | ||||
† The baby is given a score from 0 to 2 for each of 5 characteristics. A total score of 7 to 10 at 5 minutes is considered normal, 4 to 6 is intermediate, and 0 to 3 is low. ‡ In infants who have dark skin, a pink skin color may not apply, and doctors will look for pink or blue color on the lips, mouth, and tongue. | ||||