Researchers found a strong correlation between a newborn’s Apgar score and whether the mother will be admitted to the ICU after delivery. The researchers hope these findings will help doctors predict which mothers will become critically ill after giving birth, and may help predict which mothers need additional medical checks.
The study analyzed data from over 600,000 live births in Ontario and found that for newborns with a low Apgar score (zero to three, out of a possible 10), the rate of ICU admission in mothers was 1.8 per cent, compared to a rate of 0.017 per cent for mothers’ of newborns with a normal Apgar score (seven or higher).
Original research paper published in JAMA Pediatrics on November 2, 2015.
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