Which of the following is NOT a component of the APGAR score?

• A. Appearance
• B. Pulse
• C. Temperature
• D. Respiratory

Answer: (C)

APGAR scoring measures how well a newborn tolerates the transition after birth by looking at five areas: appearance, pulse, reflex irritability, activity, and respirations. Each area is scored from 0 to 2, and the totals at 1 and 5 minutes help guide immediate care. Temperature isn’t part of these five criteria, so it doesn’t contribute to the APGAR total. The areas included are appearance (skin color), which ranges from completely blue or pale to pink all over; pulse (heart rate), from absent to above 100 beats per minute; reflex irritability (response to stimulation), from no response to a grimace or cry upon stimulation to a strong cry or sneeze/cough; activity (muscle tone), from limp to active motion; and respirations (breathing effort), from absent to good, strong breathing. While temperature is important to monitor in newborn care, it is assessed separately from the APGAR score.