The apgar in perspective

The Apgar score is assigned to virtually every child born in a North American hospital. While it was originally proposed as a grading system for comparing the results of perinatal events, it has been used as a guide to resuscitation of the newborn, as well as an index of the infant's longer term morbidity. The Apgar score has undoubtedly focused attention on the neonate, but it is often improperly used as a statistical method and is not useful as a resuscitation guide or prognosticator. It should be viewed as a biostatistical tool, and used as such.