Apgar score

noun Ap·gar score \ ˈap-ˌgär- \

Definition of Apgar score

: an index used to evaluate the condition of a newborn infant based on a rating of 0, 1, or 2 for each of the five characteristics of color, heart rate, response to stimulation of the sole of the foot, muscle tone, and respiration with 10 being a perfect score

Origin and Etymology of apgar score

Virginia Apgar †1974 American anesthesiologist

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1959

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

Apgar score

noun Ap·gar score \ ˈap-ˌgär-ˈskō(ə)r, -ˈskȯ(ə)r \

medical Definition of Apgar score

Biographical Note for apgar score

Apgar, Virginia (1909–1974), American physician. Apgar began her medical career as an anesthesiologist and was for many years an attending anesthesiologist. As a result of her duties in the hospital delivery room, she developed a concern for the lack of immediate medical attention given the newborn. To rectify the situation she developed the Apgar score as a simple, quick test to determine the need for emergency treatment. The test soon became a standard procedure in hospitals all over the world. Turning to the study of congenital anomalies, Apgar became an authority on teratology and proper prenatal care.