The newborn APGAR score is a test that medical professionals perform on newborn babies to assess their health post-delivery. Depending on the results, physicians may need to provide additional care and vital monitoring.
The APGAR score chart is an important component of assessing an infant’s neonatal health, but it’s not comprehensive or definitive. An APGAR score can help determine whether the infant had injuries from birth and whether medical professionals acted negligently when providing medical care.
You can talk to a birth injury lawyer if you have more questions about APGAR scores and how they figure into birth injury lawsuits. A birth injury lawyer can also help you determine whether low APGAR scores are a sign of negligence in birthing and delivery.
APGAR Score Test Explained
The APGAR score was devised by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952 and assesses infants over five categories. The test is first administered one minute after delivery and again five minutes after delivery. The relevant scoring categories are listed below:
- Appearance. The doctor looks at the baby’s physical appearance and skin color to identify oxygen deprivation or injuries.
- Pulse. This score gauges the infant’s heart rate and whether it’s beating at the appropriate frequency.
- Grimace. The doctor will also stimulate the baby’s nose and mouth to trigger facial reflexes and measure reactivity.
- Activity. A baby’s degree of movement indicates their overall physical state and health, and higher activity gives a higher score.
- Respiration. Crying and making noises are signs that a baby is properly breathing and their lungs are respirating.
APGAR scores are effectively a measure of how healthy an infant is after delivery and whether medical intervention is necessary.
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APGAR Score Chart
During assessment, the medical professional assigns each category a score of 0, 1, or 2 and combines the numbers into a total score. All other things being equal, a higher score is better:
- A score of 7 to 10 is reassuring.
- A score of 4 to 6 is moderately abnormal.
- A score of 0 to 3 is low.
If an infant’s second scoring is below seven, the medical professional will repeat the scoring every five minutes for at least 20 minutes post-delivery. Below is an APGAR score chart with a breakdown of individual scoring across the categories and how medical professionals assign numbers:
- Appearance: 0 – pale or blue; 1 – pink with blue extremities; 2 – pink all over
- Pulse: 0 – no heart rate; 1 – less than 100 bpm; 2 – more than 100 bpm
- Grimace: 0 – Not responsive; 1 – feeble grimace or cry; 2 – strong grimace or cry
- Activity: 0 – Limp and floppy; 1 – Slight flexion of arms/legs; 2 – full active motion in limbs
- Respiration: 0 – No breathing; 1 – Weak, irregular breathing; 2 – Strong breathing and crying
What Does a Low APGAR Score Mean?
An average APGAR score is around seven. Most infants don’t get a perfect ten because it can take several moments for all their bodily systems to start functioning fully. A score between 4 and 6 means that the child may require additional assistance for breathing and other functioning.
A score of three or lower is usually a cause for concern. It can mean that the infant is in distress that could be caused by a number of birthing issues, like hypoxia or physical delivery trauma. If an infant has a low APGAR score after five minutes, the medical professional may administer assistance to help the infant breathe and function.
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APGAR Score and Medical Negligence During Birth and Delivery
The APGAR score is used to assess an infant’s condition post-delivery and is an indicator of birthing injuries and other complications. In a birthing injury case, APGAR scores are one piece of evidence you can use to prove medical negligence in the context of birthing and delivery.
For instance, if the doctor performed the APGAR test but failed to properly monitor an infant with a low score, it could count as medical negligence. If the baby developed cerebral palsy from oxygen deprivation, the parents could sue the medical professional/facility for injury-related losses. However, a good APGAR score doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t problems.
Hospitals may try to point to high APGAR scores as evidence against their negligence. But it is possible for APGAR scores to be high and for there to still be birthing injuries due to mistakes and negligence. A birth injury lawyer can assess your situation and your baby’s APGAR scores in addition to other evidence for medical negligence.
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Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer Today
APGAR scores are a useful tool for medical professionals and medical negligence lawsuits, but they are not the full story. If you have further questions about the APGAR score chart and how it can figure into medical malpractice lawsuits, you should hire a birth injury lawyer.
Contact Birth Injury Lawyers Group today to schedule a free case consultation. Our lines are open 24/7, so feel free to contact us whenever it is convenient for you.
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