Immediately after birth your baby is given a “grade” - a reminder that your newborn is entering a quantitative world where humans are compared and scored from the moment of birth and throughout life. The Apgar score – devised by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952 – is quick appraisal of the initial health of your baby. This score, determined first at one minute and then five minutes after birth, assesses your newborn’s heart rate, breathing effort, skin color, muscle tone and activity, and response to stimulation.