Underlying Disorders Responsible for the Neonatal Deaths Associated with Low Apgar Scores

Data from a large study were used to determine the frequency of fatal disorders associated with low Apgar scores. 5-min scores had the best correlation with mortality rates. Death rates were more than ten times greater with abnormal than with normal 5-min scores. This difference was only 3-fold for 1-min values. Amniotic fluid infections were responsible for nearly half of the deaths in preterm and 24% of the deaths in term neonates with 5-min Apgar scores 0--6. The respective values for disorders that cause antenatal hypoxia were 25 and 24% and for major congenital anomalies, 7 and 28%.