Final answer:
An Apgar score of 2 is considered an emergency, signaling that the newborn's life may be at risk and immediate medical attention is necessary.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Apgar Scale is a quick method used for assessing a newborn's health by examining easy-to-measure traits such as skin color, heart rate, reflex (grimace), muscle tone, and respiration. The baby is evaluated on these five criteria soon after birth, and each attribute is scored 0, 1, or 2, for a maximum score of 10. A total Apgar score of 2 signals an emergency because it falls below the critical threshold of 5, indicating that the baby's survival is potentially in doubt and that immediate medical intervention is necessary.