Overview
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.Update Date 12/2/2011
Updated by: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. and Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine
