Apgar score

By Mary Alice Carhart

This story originally appeared in 1961 in The Ledger-Star of Norfolk, Virginia.

NORFOLK - Dr. Virginia Apgar has probably enticed more babies to cry than any woman alive.

A noted specialist in the problems of newborn infants, she is creator of a clinical evaluation made 60 seconds after birth to determine normalcy.

Termed the "Apgar Score," it is determined by the heart rate of the infant, respiration, muscle tone and color. Its purpose is to learn of brain damage, if any.

The information is useful in predicting the baby's chances for survival. It is rapidly becoming standard procedure in hospitals in many countries.

Since originating the "Score" in 1952, Dr. Apgar has supervised the scoring of 30,000 babies. She has also traveled the world over explaining the process.

Last night she addressed the Norfolk County Medical Society at the Golden Triangle Motor Hotel.

"For the last few years I have been talking myself hoarse about the Score," she said.

A baby with a vigorous cry, a good heart rate and a pink color would get a passing score. One with a faint cry, a low heart rate and a blue color would probably not.

In this case, respiratory techniques are used as a safeguard for survival.

"When to resuscitate babies is really a matter of common sense," the doctor said. "It doesn't take any equipment."

Respiratory failures occur in about five percent of births, she added.

"Seventy per cent of the babies are yelling one minute after they are born. Ninety-five per cent are yelling at two and one-half minutes."

Dr. Apgar said she was particularly pleased that the government was using the Score on every baby born in 16 university hospitals throughout the country.

Hospitals in Finland, Yugoslavia and Canada are using the method almost exclusively, she added.

The author of 38 medical publications said one of her most difficult deliveries was Liza Todd, the daughter of Elizabeth Taylor.

"She didn't take a single breath for 14 seconds because of fluid pouring out of her lungs.

"I have never seen anybody upset Sloane Hospital the way she did."

Dr. Apgar is a member of the medical scientific research staff of the National Polio Foundation. Before joining this she was a professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.