In this 1964 article for a general audience, Apgar reviewed the progress being made in prevention, early detection, and treatment of birth defects. She emphasized that with new diagnostic and surgical techniques, many congenital problems could be found and treated, and their effects minimized soon after birth. These included hydrocephalus, cleft palate, phenylketonuria, and Rh factor incompatibility. The increasing use of her newborn scoring method, which ensured that medical personnel would take a close look at babies just after birth, provided a template for expanded routine testing and intervention.
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