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Apgar score

American  

noun

  1. a numerical measure of the physical health of a newborn infant derived by evaluating heart rate, muscle tone, respiratory effort, response to stimulation, skin color, and other physiological indicators.


apgar score British  
/ ˈæpɡɑː /

noun

  1. a system for determining the condition of an infant at birth by allotting a maximum of 2 points to each of the following: heart rate, breathing effort, muscle tone, response to stimulation, and colour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Apgar score Scientific  
/ ăpgär /
  1. A score that assesses the general physical condition of a newborn infant by assigning a value of 0, 1, or 2 to each of five criteria: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, skin color, and response to stimuli. The five scores are added together, with a perfect score being 10. Apgar scores are usually evaluated at one minute and five minutes after birth. The Apgar score is named for the system's deviser, American physician Virginia Apgar (1909–1974).


Etymology

Origin of Apgar score

Named after V. Apgar

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

First, it considers the Apgar score, devised in the 1950s.

From BBC • Jul. 11, 2023

At birth this is the Apgar score, a score from zero to 10 that a doctor uses to evaluate the health of a newborn child.

From Time • Sep. 2, 2013

Aspiration of meconium with the first breath can result in labored breathing, a barrel-shaped chest, or a low Apgar score.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

A friend of my wife’s once boasted about her daughter’s high Apgar score.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2013

And for an appropriate fee, OB/GYNs would guarantee new parents an Apgar score of 10.

From Washington Post