The newborn is commonly assessed with the APGAR score, a quick test performed at 1 and 5 minutes after birth to determine the physical condition of the newborn. The five categories assessed are heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color. Each of these categories is scored 0, 1, or 2, depending on the observed condition of the newborn.
Review Date:
11/30/2009
Reviewed By:
Deirdre O’Reilly, M.D., M.P.H., Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.