Calculators · Paediatrics & Neonatology · Score
Apgar score
Also called APGAR, Appearance Pulse Grimace Activity Respiration, newborn score
Five-sign (0–10) description of the newborn's condition at 1 and 5 minutes after birth.
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Formula and scoring
Sum of five signs, each 0–2: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration. AAP/ACOG: 7–10 reassuring, 4–6 moderately abnormal, 0–3 low.
Exam and ward pearls
- Virginia Apgar proposed it in 1953 in an anaesthesia journal; scores are reported at 1 and 5 minutes.
- A score given during resuscitation is not equivalent to one given to a spontaneously breathing baby — AAP/ACOG advise the expanded Apgar form that records interventions.
When not to rely on it
- The reassuring / moderately abnormal / low bands are defined for term and late-preterm infants.
- Observer variation is considerable; record interventions alongside the score.
Source
- Apgar V. A proposal for a new method of evaluation of the newborn infant. Curr Res Anesth Analg. 1953;32(4):260-7. PMID 13083014
- American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Fetus and Newborn; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Obstetric Practice. The Apgar score. Pediatrics. 2015;136(4):819-22. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-2651 · PMID 26416932
- Dalili H, Sheikh M, Hardani AK, Nili F, Shariat M, Nayeri F. Comparison of the combined versus conventional Apgar scores in predicting adverse neonatal outcomes. PLoS One. 2016;11(2):e0149464 (Table 1 reproduces the conventional Apgar criteria). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0149464 · PMID 26871908
Formula and cut-offs checked against these sources on 8 Nov 2026. Educational tool for clinicians; it does not replace clinical judgement.