Incidence and risk factors of low Apgar scores at five minutes in term neonates: A case control study in a Regional Australian Hospital

Read the full article See related articles

Listed in

This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.
Log in to save this article

Abstract

Objective: To assess the incidence of low Apgar scores (<7 at 5 minutes) and identify associated maternal risk factors in a regional Australian hospital. Study Design: An unmatched case-control study examined records of 4,344 infants born at ≥37 weeks from 2018 to 2022, identifying 91 cases with low Apgar scores and an equal number of controls. Logistic regression identified associated factors included in the multivariate model. Results: The incidence of low Apgar scores was 2.09%. Multivariate analysis indicated that morphine administration before delivery decreased risk (AOR 0.13, p < 0.001) and previous caesarean delivery offered protection (AOR 0.31, p = 0.026). Risk factors included prolonged rupture of membranes (AOR 2.91, p = 0.038), caesarean delivery (AOR 2.60, p = 0.014), and shoulder dystocia (AOR 9.38, p = 0.044). Conclusion: Higher rates of low Apgar scores in regional Australia highlight the importance of targeted interventions to enhance neonatal outcomes.

Article activity feed