Excerpts from Care During Pregnancy and Childbirth for the Emergency Medical Responder
The APP-GAR score is a test given to newborns soon after birth. This test checks a baby’s heart rate, muscle tone, and other signs to see if extra medical care or emergency care is needed. The test is usually given twice: Once at 1 minute after birth, and again at 5 minutes after birth.
In the test, five things are used to check a baby’s health. Each is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score:
- The appearance of skin color
- Pulse or heart rate
- Grimace response or reflexes
- Activity or muscle tone
- Respiration or breathing rate and effort
A baby who scores a 7 or above on the test is considered in good health. A lower score does not mean that the baby is unhealthy. It means that the baby may need some immediate medical care, such as suctioning of the airways or oxygen to help him or her breathe better.