The test is generally done at 1 and 5 minutes after birth and may be repeated later if the score is and remains low. Scores of 7 and above are generally normal; 4 to 6, fairly low; and 3 and below are generally regarded as critically low and cause for immediate resuscitative efforts. A low score on the 1-minute mark may show that the neonate requires medical attention, but does not necessarily indicate a long-term problem, particularly if the score improves at the 5-minute mark. An Apgar score that remains below 3 at later times, such as 10, 15, or 30 minutes, may indicate longer-term neurological damage, including a small but significant increase in the risk of cerebral palsy. However, the Apgar test's purpose is to determine quickly whether or not a newborn needs immediate medical care. It is not designed to predict long-term health issues. A score of 10 is uncommon, due to the prevalence of transient cyanosis, and does not substantially differ from a score of 9. Transient cyanosis is common, particularly in babies born at high altitude. A study that compared babies born in Peru near sea level with babies born at very high altitude found a significant average difference in the first Apgar score but not the second. Oxygen saturation also was lower at high altitude.
Implementation of scores
In cases where a newborn needs resuscitation, it should be initiated before the Apgar score is assigned at the 1-minute mark. Therefore, the Apgar score is not used to determine if initial resuscitation is needed, rather it is used to determine if resuscitation efforts should be continued. Variation between the 1-minute and 5-minute Apgar scores can be used to assess an infant's response to resuscitation. If the score is below 7 at the 5-minute mark, the Neonatal Resuscitation Program guidelines specify that the infant's Apgar score should be reassessed at 5-minute intervals for up to 20 minutes. A systematic review that analyzed the relationship between umbilical cord pH and neonatal outcomes found that low cord pH is strongly correlated with mortality, morbidity and cerebral palsy in childhood. To reduce the risk of negative outcomes, it is recommended to obtain a sample of the umbilical arteryblood gas when a newborn has an Apgar score of 5 or less at the 5-minute mark.
Limitations
There are numerous factors that contribute to the Apgar Score, several of which are subjective. Examples of subjective factors include but are not limited to color, tone, and reflex irritability. Preterm infants may receive a lower score in these categories due to lack of maturity rather than asphyxia. Other factors that may contribute to variability among infants are birth defects, sedation of the mother during labor, gestational age or trauma. Inappropriately using the Apgar Score has led to errors in diagnosing asphyxia. Various studies have shown that the Apgar score has variability between individual medical providers. A study was done in which health care providers were assigned to give Apgar scores to a group of infants. Results showed that health care provider had a consistency of 55% to 82% when it came to assigning scores when compared with one another.
Acronym
Some ten years after initial publication, a backronym for APGAR was coined in the United States as a mnemonic learning aid: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration.
Another eponymous backronym from Virginia Apgar's name is American Pediatric Gross Assessment Record. Another mnemonic for the test is “How Ready Is This Child?”, which summarizes the test criteria as Heart rate, Respiratory effort, Irritability, Tone, and Color.
