ANALYSIS OF THE APGAR SCORE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH MATERNAL AND OBSTETRIC FACTORS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CASCAVEL-PR (2013 TO 2023)

Abstract

The Apgar score was created in 1953 and remains widely used to assess the immediate clinical conditions of newborns. This article aimed to analyze the relationship between the Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes of life and maternal and obstetric variables, such as maternal age, frequency of prenatal visits, gestational age, and mode of delivery, in newborns in the municipality of Cascavel-PR, from 2013 to 2023. This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, and analytical study, with information obtained from the database of the Information System on Live Births (SINASC), provided by the DataSUS platform. The results showed that maternal and obstetric factors can influence the Apgar score, for example, adolescent pregnant women (in the 10 to 19 age range) obtained lower scores at both points in the Apgar score assessment. Similarly, pregnant women with fewer than 6 prenatal visits, vaginal deliveries, and gestational ages, especially below 32 weeks, also presented lower scores. This research contributes to a better understanding of how these factors can impact neonatal outcomes and how measures, such as adequate prenatal care, are useful for achieving favorable Apgar scores in children born in hospitals in a municipality in western Paraná.