Health Tip: What's an APGAR Test?

By
Diana Kohnle
June 19, 2009, 12:02 PM ET
1 min read

June 20 -- (HealthDay News) -- As soon as your baby is delivered at a hospital or other medical facility, it's commonly whisked away to be evaluated by the waiting team of professionals.

The medical team probably is giving your baby what's known as an APGAR test to check how well baby handled birth, and how the infant is adjusting to life outside the womb. It's given at one minute after birth, and a second time five minutes after birth. The score ranges from 1 to 10, 10 being healthiest.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says the test evaluates:

  • Breathing effort
  • Heart rate
  • Muscle tone
  • Reflexes
  • Skin color

    • A score of less than five indicates that baby needs help adjusting to the new environment.