FAQ About Women in the History of Medicine

Dr. Virginia Apgar was an American obstetrical anesthetist who made significant contributions to the field of maternal and neonatal care. She is best known for developing the Apgar Score, a quick and simple assessment tool used to evaluate the health of newborns immediately after birth. Here is an overview of her life and her contributions:

Early Life and Education:

• Virginia Apgar was born on June 7, 1909, in Westfield, New Jersey, USA.
• She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1929 and went on to attend the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, where she earned her medical degree in 1933.

Medical Career:

• Dr. Apgar pursued a career in anesthesiology and became one of the first women to receive a full professorship at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
• She was a pioneer in obstetrical anesthesiology and made significant advancements in the safety and management of anesthesia during childbirth.

Development of the Apgar Score:

• Dr. Apgar is most renowned for developing the Apgar Score in 1952 while working at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
• The Apgar Score is a simple and standardized assessment tool used by healthcare providers to evaluate the overall health and well-being of newborns at one and five minutes after birth.
• The score assesses five criteria: Appearance (skin color), Pulse (heart rate), Grimace response (reflexes), Activity (muscle tone), and Respiration (breathing).
• Each criterion is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, and the scores are then added together to obtain a total Apgar Score, which can range from 0 to 10.
• The Apgar Score provides a quick assessment of a newborn's immediate condition and helps guide medical interventions if necessary.

Legacy:

• The Apgar Score has become a widely used and essential tool in neonatal care, enabling healthcare providers to quickly identify newborns who may require immediate attention or medical intervention.
• Dr. Virginia Apgar's work has had a lasting impact on maternal and neonatal medicine, significantly improving the care and outcomes of newborns.
• She continued to advocate for newborn care and maternal health throughout her career and remained active in medical education and research.