Virginia Apgar

Virginia Apgar (June 7, 1909 – August 7, 1974) was an American obstetrical anesthesiologist. She is best known for developing the Apgar Score, a quick and simple way to assess the health of newborns immediately after birth. Apgar's work significantly contributed to reducing infant mortality and improving neonatal care.

Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]

Virginia Apgar was born in Westfield, New Jersey, to a musical family. Despite her initial interest in music, she pursued a career in medicine, inspired by her father's work as a scientist and her own desire to improve public health. Apgar graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1929 with a major in zoology and obtained her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1933.

Career[edit | edit source]

After completing her medical training, Apgar decided to specialize in anesthesia, a field then in its infancy. She trained under Dr. Ralph Waters at the University of Wisconsin and Dr. Emery Rovenstine at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. In 1938, Apgar returned to Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons, where she became the director of the newly established division of anesthesia and an advocate for the emerging specialty. In 1952, Apgar introduced the Apgar Score, a method to quickly assess the health of newborns one and five minutes after birth based on five criteria: heart rate, respiration, muscle tone, reflex response, and color. This scoring system, still used worldwide today, has significantly improved the survival rates of newborns.

Later Life and Legacy[edit | edit source]

In 1959, Apgar earned a master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University. She then worked for the March of Dimes Foundation, focusing on the prevention of birth defects through public education and medical research. Apgar's dedication to maternal and infant health led to numerous awards and honors during her lifetime. She continued to be a prolific lecturer and advocate for women in medicine until her death in 1974. Virginia Apgar's legacy lives on through the Apgar Score and her contributions to neonatology and anesthesia. She is remembered as a pioneer in her field and a role model for future generations of physicians.