At what times should the APGAR score be performed on a newborn?

• A. 1 and 5 minutes following birth
• B. At birth only
• C. 5 and 10 minutes
• D. 1, 5, and 10 minutes

Answer: (A)

The scoring is done to quickly assess how well a newborn is tolerating birth and adapting to life outside the womb. The standard timing is to perform the APGAR score at 1 minute after birth and again at 5 minutes after birth. The 1-minute score shows how the baby tolerated the birth process, while the 5-minute score indicates how well the baby has responded after initial stabilization. A score at birth or a 10-minute check isn’t the routine schedule; a 10-minute evaluation is done only if there are ongoing concerns or if the baby needed resuscitation. Therefore, assessing at 1 and 5 minutes after birth is the best practice.