Apgar score

The Apgar score is a test used by doctors and midwives to check your baby's health when they are born. It helps them understand if your baby needs any extra care at birth.

The Apgar score is used to check a newborn baby at 1 minute, 5 minutes and, if needed, 10 minutes after birth.

The test is named after Dr Virginia Apgar, who developed the score in 1952.

The Apgar score rates your baby's:

• skin colour
• heart rate
• reflexes and responsiveness
• muscle tone
• breathing 

Each sign is scored from 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score. The scores for each sign are added together to give a total possible Apgar score out of 10.

Sign	0	1	2
Skin colour	Blue or pale body	Blue hands and feet	Completely pink skin
Heart rate	Absent	<100 beats per minute	>100 beats per minute
Reflexes and responsiveness	No response	Grimace (expressive)	Cry or active withdrawal
Muscle tone	Completely limp	Some flexion (stiffness)	Active motion
Breathing	Absent	Irregular or shallow breathing, weak cry	Good breathing effort, crying

An Apgar score of 7 or more at 5 minutes after birth shows that your baby is coping well after birth. If a baby scores below 7 at 5 minutes after birth, this is considered a low Apgar score.

If your baby's Apgar score is low at 5 minutes, your baby will most likely need help with breathing and the doctors will continue to closely monitor your baby.

If your baby has a low Apgar score, they will need extra medical help.

Babies with an Apgar score below 7 at 5 minutes of life are more likely to need extra support with breathing or admission to the special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit. 

There are many factors that can affect an Apgar score. These include:

• health conditions or medicines affecting the mother
• factors that affect the baby — such as being premature
• the type of birth
• long labour
• long second stage of labour

The Apgar score reflects your baby's condition at birth and helps guide their immediate care.

Apgar scores are intended to check the immediate health of newborn babies. They are used to monitor babies and to make sure they get all the care they need straight after birth to help them adjust to life outside the womb.

Apgar scores are not intended to predict how a baby’s nervous system and brain will develop.

If you have any concerns, speak with your doctor, midwife or nurse.

The Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne has information on what happens after you give birth, including the Apgar score.

NSW Health has helpful information on how Apgar scores are used by your health team, including why it’s collected and what it measures.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

Visit Birthing on Country for information on projects that support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander babies and their families.

Find an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) or affiliate near you.

Baby Coming You Ready is a culturally safe support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents-to-be and new parents.

The Koori Maternity Service program provides access to holistic, culturally safe maternity care for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Stronger Bubba Born has resources for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander parents.

Languages other than English

The Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health has a catalogue of culturally adapted health resources available in more than 70 languages.

Monash Health has a range of translated resources including information on pregnancy and baby safety in many community languages.