Development outcomes of infants with low Apgar scores

Objective To characterize developmental status from corrected age 0–24 months among infants with different Apgar scores and to examine the association between Apgar score and infant development.Methods We retrospectively identified newborns born at our hospital between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2022 and followed at the Child Health and Development Center. Infants were categorized into a low-Apgar group and a normal-Apgar group based on postnatal Apgar scores. Propensity score matching was used to control perinatal confounders. Anthropometric growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes at corrected ages 0–24 months were compared between groups.Results Across corrected ages 0–24 months, there were no statistically significant differences between the low- and normal-Apgar groups in anthropometric indicators or neurodevelopmental outcomes (P>0.05). Group-by-age interaction terms were not significant (P>0.05), indicating no appreciable differences in overall developmental trajectories.Conclusions A low Apgar score was not an independent predictor of infant anthropometric growth or neurodevelopment.