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Upon publication of Heidi Li's brief commemoration of Dr. Virginia Apgar, 51 Percent received this personal memory. If others have memories related to Dr. Apgar's work, we welcome them - please send to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Thank you so much for featuring your article on Dr. Virginia Apgar.

As a nursing student, and later in nursing practice, Dr. Apgar's index/scale used for assessment of newborn health was always emphasized.  Infant distress is not always that obvious, and I remember only too well a beautiful baby girl, who looked so perfect in every way.  Her mom was nursing her on the second day, with the baby seeming perhaps a bit sluggish.  She suddenly went into seizures, and then was diagnosed as having a brain hemorrhage--likely as the result of birth trauma.  Her Apgar had been 6 at 1 minute after birth.  Early warning sign.  The baby died on her third day of life.

Dr. Apgar was head of The March of Dimes at the time I was having my first children.  My OB care with the first baby was very delayed.  You could not make an appointment until after your second missed period, and then you first saw a doctor in your 4th or 5th month of pregnancy.  I was so sick and anemic by the time I saw the doctor, that it was scary.

Before having my second child, I worked as a volunteer nurse at the base hospital.  At lunch one day, I was sitting with the head nurse of the OB Dept.  I asked about this policy--after all, Dr. Apgar was doing ads at the time telling pregnant women how important it was to begin prenatal care as early as possible--even prior to becoming pregnant. 

The nurse said that seeing pregnant women prior to the 5th month of pregnancy was just "coddling" them.  There was nothing to be done up to that point.  If there was a problem with the pregnancy, the baby would be lost anyway, and there was no helpful intervention.  This was over 35 years ago, so I don't remember the whole conversation, but it was a shocker.

I wrote a letter to Dr. Apgar, outlining the conversation, and asking her just what was the point of seeing the doctor early, if this nurse (and military policy) was correct.  I received the loveliest personal answer from Dr. Agpar firmly and clearly explaining what was wrong with the nurse's point of view.  I'm sure it is somewhere within my papers, which my heirs will likely someday throw out!
Anyway--thank you so much for your article.

Sincerely, [an anonymous friend of 51 Percent]

P.S. I should have added that the military became enlightened shortly after that era, and has since followed Dr. Apgar's recommendations for early care in pregnancy.