What is Apgar Score? Know how to check your newborn’s body with the Apgar Score that will indicate your baby’s health after birth. How to evaluate a newborn baby? What criteria are used? Let’s see.
Have you ever wondered that aftergiving birthAlready, how do we know that the child is healthy? breathing normally ready to live outside the mother’s womb which in the first minuteinfantOpen your eyes to see the world. The maternity doctor will pass our baby to the pediatrician. to clean andnewborn physical examination which postpartum mothers may hear doctors and nurses signal asking about Apgar Score Some heard the answer in numbers. but still don’t know Apgar Score What is how to check Including how this newborn assessment indicates your baby’s health. Let’s come to understand each other.
What is Apgar Score?
Apgar Score or Apgar Score is a newborn health assessment result. obtained from the preliminary postnatal test of all babies In order to indicate that the child can adjust the physical condition to the environment outside the mother’s womb without problems. The beginning of this assessment dates back to 1952. Dr. Verginia apgar, an anesthesiologist, saw the importance of the first minute of life. Therefore, an assessment method called “Apgar Scoring System” has been developed, which will measure the score 1 minute after the baby opens his eyes to the world to assess whether the baby tolerates the birth process well or not. Then will be re-evaluated 5 minutes after delivery if the assessment shows abnormal symptoms. The doctor will re-evaluate 10 minutes after giving birth.
The characteristics used to assess the health of newborns are divided into 5 parts as follows:
- A = Appearance Is the baby’s skin color abnormal?
- P = Pulse Your baby’s heart rate should be 100-160 beats/minute.
- G = Grimace The baby’s reflex irritability may be triggered by a gentle pinch, a light stroking, etc.
- A = Activity baby’s muscle movements
- R = Respiration effort to breathe in and out To bring oxygen into the baby’s body (Breathing rate and effort).
Objectives of the Health Assessment
- to detect abnormalities or congenital malformations of newborns
- To assess the condition of the baby’s illness during the womb or abnormalities that occur during childbirth
- To use the results of the assessment of the health of the baby to indicate the health condition and problems of the baby.
- to be used as a guideline for choosing the appropriate nursing plan and how to support the baby
- as a basis for further comparison or monitoring of the child’s growth
The Apgar Score assesses the health of babies. What are the scoring guidelines?
The rating scale used in this assessment It is divided into 3 levels: 0, 1 and 2, with each indicator. The following criteria will be used.
- Appearance Assessed by the skin color of the baby’s entire body.
0 points – The baby’s skin color is bluish, gray or paler than usual.
1 point – baby’s skin tone is pink. Forearms and legs are green or blue.
2 points – The baby’s skin is a pale pink all over.
- Pulse (heart rate) Assessed by a stattoscope or your doctor’s stethoscope
0 points – no heartbeat or no pulse
1 point – heart rate less than 100 beats/minute
2 points – heart rate greater than 100 beats/minute
- Grimace (stimulating facial expression) Assessed by touching the baby, such as a butt spanking, a light pinch, to see the reaction.
0 points – The baby does not respond.
1 point – Babies have wide mouth, soft crying, or visible resistance.
2 points – Babies have a scowling face or symptoms of resistance, coughing, sneezing, crying loudly.
- Activity (baby movement) assessed by observing the movements of the baby
0 points – The baby is limp.
1 point – The baby moves a bit, the limbs are slightly bent.
2 points – The baby is healthy, moving well.
- Respiration (breathing effort) Assessed by the baby’s ability to breathe.
0 points – The baby is not breathing.
1 point – Baby’s breathing is slow or irregular.
2 points – Baby breathes well, cries loudly.
How does Apgar Score interpret results if the child scores low? what will happen
The newborn health assessment, including all 5 indications, is given a full score of 10. If the baby scores less than 7, the doctor will promptly treat the symptoms. What will the other scores translate to? Let’s take a look at this.
- Apgar score 7-10 points
considered to be in good condition The baby is not deprived of oxygen. healthy No further monitoring is required. When the doctors and nurses have completed their assessment It will help to suck the secretions in the mouth and nose with a red rubber piston. After that, she will dry herself and wrap herself in warmth.
- Apgar score 4-6 points
show that it is in the middle or a slight lack of oxygen May need to stimulate breathing Suck the secretions in the mouth and nose with a hose. and provide oxygen through the mask to help as well Including wiping the baby with a clean cloth to stimulate blood flow and oxygen. after being stimulated Healthy babies react better. And when assessing the condition of the baby a second time, an additional score may be given. But after the second assessment, the symptoms and scores have not improved. It could be a sign of birth hypoxia (Birth asphyxia).
- Apgar score 0-3 points
the baby is in a bad state This could be caused by respiratory or heart problems that require close supervision. A ventilator or life support device is required to stimulate the body’s functioning. Your doctor may also take blood gas from the umbilical cord for further analysis.
Apgar Score is not only useful for children who may need help in the first minutes of life. It also allows healthcare professionals to properly screen and care for newborns. In addition to Apgar Score, the pediatrician also performs other health checks such as hearing, vision, head, face, fingers, toes, etc. to ensure that the baby has nothing to worry about. and if something goes wrong It will be treated promptly enough.
Thanks for the information from: medlineplus.gov, kidshealth.org, nursesoulciety.com, med.nu.ac.th