Final answer:
The statement is false. The highest possible Apgar score is 10, which would be the most desirable, indicating the newborn is in good health.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the most desirable score on the Apgar scale is a 5 is false. The Apgar score assesses a newborn's condition immediately after birth using five easy-to-measure traits: appearance (skin color), pulse (heart rate), grimace (reflex), activity (muscle tone), and respiration. For each trait, the infant can be given a score of 0, 1, or 2, with 2 being the best possible value for the trait. The total Apgar score is the sum of these values, meaning the highest possible score is 10. While a score of 7 or higher is considered normal, signifying that the newborn is in good health, a score of 8 or above is generally considered excellent.