And why is this your baby’s first “grade”?
While you’re experiencing this flood of emotions, the medical team is working quickly and quietly. Within the first minute and at five minutes of life, they perform your baby’s first medical assessment: the Apgar test.
Many parents hear the doctor say, “Your baby had an Apgar score of 8/9,” and don’t know what it means. Is it a school grade? Does it measure their intelligence? At IREGCI, we want you to arrive at the delivery room informed and calm. Here we explain what happens in those crucial moments.
Developed by anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar, this test is a quick assessment of a newborn’s vitality. It doesn’t predict the baby’s future or intelligence; it simply tells us, “How well did they tolerate birth and how well are they adapting to the world outside of their mother?”
Five parameters are evaluated (each receiving a score from 0 to 2):
A (Appearance/Color): Is the baby pink or do their hands look blue? (It’s normal for them to be slightly bluish at birth.)
P (Pulse/Heart Rate): Is their heart beating strongly and rapidly (more than 100 beats per minute)?
G (Gesture/Reflexes): Do they grimace, cry, or cough when stimulated/cleaned?
A (Activity/Muscle Tone): Do they move their arms and legs energetically or are they limp?
R (Respiration): Do they cry loudly and steadily?
The maximum score is 10. But here’s a medical secret: Almost no baby gets a 10 in the first minute. Most are born with slightly bluish extremities (cyanosis), which is completely normal while their circulation adjusts.
Score 7 to 10: Excellent! The baby is vigorous and only needs routine care (warmth and being with mom).
Score 4 to 6: May need a little help, such as suctioning their nose or giving them some oxygen.
Score below 3: Requires immediate medical attention and resuscitation.
At 1 minute: This tells us how well the baby coped with the birthing process.
At 5 minutes: This tells us how well the baby is adapting to the environment. It’s common for a baby to score a 7 at the first minute and a 9 at five minutes. That’s a great sign of recovery!
We know that, after fertility treatment, that baby is a “rainbow baby” or a much-desired miracle. The fear that something might go wrong at the last second is natural.
That’s why, at IREGCI, the Neonatology team is present in the delivery room or operating room even before the baby is born. We don’t improvise. We are ready to receive your baby, assess them, and, if everything is fine (which is most of the time), place them on your chest immediately for skin-to-skin contact.
The Apgar score is just a number, but the moment is eternal. Enjoy that first cry. We’ll take care of monitoring their health.
IREGCI, we’re with you every step of the way!
If you have been trying to conceive for more than 12 months (or 6 months if you are over 35) without success, a medical evaluation is recommended.
Insemination places the sperm directly into the uterus, while IVF fertilizes the egg in a laboratory and then transfers the embryo.
Most procedures are minimally invasive and are performed with anesthesia or pain-reduction measures.
It depends on the couple’s age, diagnosis, method used, and overall health. A specialist can estimate your personalized probability.
Female fertility declines significantly from the age of 35 due to the quantity and quality of the eggs.
Egg, sperm or embryo donation can be used.
IREGCI, we’re with you every step of the way!
If you have been trying to conceive for more than 12 months (or 6 months if you are over 35) without success, a medical evaluation is recommended.
Insemination places the sperm directly into the uterus, while IVF fertilizes the egg in a laboratory and then transfers the embryo.
Most procedures are minimally invasive and are performed with anesthesia or pain-reduction measures.
It depends on the couple’s age, diagnosis, method used, and overall health. A specialist can estimate your personalized probability.
Female fertility declines significantly from the age of 35 due to the quantity and quality of the eggs.
Egg, sperm or embryo donation can be used.
At Iregci we provide comprehensive and personalized medical solutions to overcome fertility barriers and achieve pregnancy.
At IREGCI, we care for you and your future. We provide expert Gynecology and Obstetrics services, designed to protect your intimate health and monitor the development of your pregnancy with the most advanced technology.
At IREGCI we protect your family’s future with expert care in Neonatology and Pediatrics, ensuring the well-being of your little ones from birth.
At IREGCI, we prioritize your comfort. Thanks to minimally invasive surgery, we offer effective treatments with virtually imperceptible scars and a reduced hospital stay.
At Iregci we provide comprehensive and personalized medical solutions to overcome fertility barriers and achieve pregnancy.
At IREGCI, we care for you and your future. We provide expert Gynecology and Obstetrics services, designed to protect your intimate health and monitor the development of your pregnancy with the most advanced technology.
At IREGCI we protect your family’s future with expert care in Neonatology and Pediatrics, ensuring the well-being of your little ones from birth.
At IREGCI, we prioritize your comfort. Thanks to minimally invasive surgery, we offer effective treatments with virtually imperceptible scars and a reduced hospital stay.
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Latest News
Learn to recognize the early signs of infertility and when it’s time to seek professional help.
Clear up myths and learn about the medical reasons that can make pregnancy difficult, even at young ages.
A practical guide with physical and emotional health recommendations to improve your chances of success.
A clear guide for patients who want to understand how IVF works from ovarian stimulation to transfer.
Everything you need to know if you have received this diagnosis: causes, treatment, and reproductive options.
Understand in which cases this alternative can help you achieve your dream of becoming a mother.
We are your Fertility and Gynecology Center in the Dominican Republic
809-724-3232
info@iregci.com.do
Pedro Bisonó Toribio Street, No. 7. La Esmeralda, Santiago.
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