Apgar score
Newborn condition at 1 and 5 minutes; independent observations and documented interventions.
Apgar score
Principle
Newborn condition at defined times after birth. Observe at 1 and 5 minutes; if the 5-minute score is <7, repeat every 5 minutes until 20 minutes. Do not wait for the score to resuscitate: it determines neither initiation nor resuscitation steps.
Scope
Newborn condition at defined times after birth. Observe at 1 and 5 minutes; if the 5-minute score is <7, repeat every 5 minutes until 20 minutes. Do not wait for the score to resuscitate: it determines neither initiation nor resuscitation steps.
Interpretation limits
Does not determine resuscitation or individual neurological prognosis; a low score is insufficient to diagnose asphyxia. Prematurity, medications and resuscitation affect scoring. Classes at 5 minutes in term/late-preterm newborns are not generalised here. All components and interventions must be explicit for a complete observation.
Formula and logic
Sum of five components, each scored from 0 to 2: total 0–10. Each observation is calculated separately.
Definition version : 0.1.0
Sources
- ACOG / American Academy of Pediatrics — The Apgar Score — Committee Opinion 644
2015-10 · Full text and expanded form: five components, times 1/5/10/15/20, concurrent interventions without points. Read on 2026-10-06. No reproduction of the form or historical instructions to stop resuscitation.
- CDC / NCHS — Hospitals’ and Physicians’ Handbook on Birth Registration and Fetal Death Reporting
1987-10 · Printed page 22, Apgar table: heart rate ≥100/min scored 2. Table visually inspected on 2026-10-06; equality100 made explicit because the ACOG table shows >100.
- American Heart Association / American Academy of Pediatrics — 2025 Guidelines — Neonatal Resuscitation
2025 · Neonatal resuscitation according to its own assessment and recommendations; no automated resuscitation decision in this capsule.