Test Apgar!

The Apgar test is the first test your doctor will do on your baby right after the birth!

Immediately after the arrival of your baby in the "outside" world, the doctor will do his first examination, in order to make a quick assessment of the baby's health!

What is Apgar test (Apgar-score)?

In the first and fifth minutes after giving birth, the obstetrician will perform an Apgar test (the name comes from Dr. Virginia Apgar who performed the test for the first time) to check the vital functions of your baby, such as the color of his skin. , his pulse, his reflexes, his muscle tone and his breathing.

Evaluation scale

For each of the above your baby is "evaluated" on a scale of 0, 1 or 2. The baby's overall score is 10, but babies rarely get excellent! Most babies get this test grade 8 and above, which means the baby is fine! A lower score usually simply means that the baby needs temporary medical help and supervision. However, if his score is below 5, then the baby is likely to be transferred for intensive care and follow-up.

Scoring criteria

There are specific criteria for each parameter! For example, if the baby's muscle tone is hypotonic, then his score will be 0, if there are some movements of his limbs, then the score will be 1, and finally if there is intense activity, then the baby will get an excellent 2! This is how the assessment is done for the other characteristics (pulses, respiration, skin color and reflexes) and then the points collected by the baby add up!

Hint

Before you leave the maternity ward, your doctor will do other tests on your baby to make sure everything is OK. Not all doctors ask for the same tests, so discuss it with your doctor.