What is the definition or description of: apgar?

Newborn health: The apgar score was devised in 1952 by the eponymous dr. Virginia apgar as a simple and repeatable method to quickly and summarily assess the health of newborn children immediately after birth. Apgar was an anesthesiologist who developed the score in order to ascertain the effects of obstetric anesthesia on babies.

Birth code numbers: Apgar is an acronym having to do with five areas of assessment of a newborn: heart rate, respiratory ability, color, activity and tone. Ranked 0-2 in each category, they add to give a picture of how a child is doing at 1 minute, 5 minutes and so on until the number is above 7 total. They really don't mean anything outside the delivery room but give the neonatal staff something to go by.