What is the purpose of the Apgar score?

The purpose of the Apgar score is specifically to evaluate the newborn's physical well-being at one and five minutes after birth. This scoring system assesses five criteria: appearance (skin color), pulse (heart rate), grimace response (reflexes), activity (muscle tone), and respiration (breathing effort). Each criterion is scored from 0 to 2, with a maximum possible score of 10. The primary focus of this assessment is to quickly determine if a newborn requires immediate medical attention, especially in areas such as respiratory distress or cardiovascular stability.

The Apgar score does not assess maternal health postpartum, nor is it designed to determine the success of breastfeeding or predict long-term developmental outcomes. Its primary function is immediate assessment of the newborn's condition shortly after delivery, which helps guide healthcare providers in delivering timely interventions if necessary.