Results

In total, 180 babies were included in the study. 58.9% of the babies were boys, and 41.1% were girls; 96.7% were delivered via cesarean section, and 3.3% were delivered via normal birth. Of the babies included in the study, 74.4% were 2500 grams and over in birth weight, 60% were born at 37 weeks gestation or later, and 26.1% were born between 32-36 weeks.
The mean NGAL value of the boys was 1283.99 ng/mL, and the mean NGAL value of the girls was 1306.52 ng/mL. There was no statistically significant difference between gender and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels. There was also no statistically significant difference between childbirth type, birth weight, and gestational age and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels. The demographic characteristics of the babies included in the study and the relationship between these characteristics and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels are shown in table 1.
The most common postnatal disease of the babies included in the study was respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)(15.6%). Other common postnatal diseases were neural tube defects( NTD)(4.4%), congenital heart diseases(CHD)(3.3%), and blood incompatibility(2.2%).
The mean NGAL value of 28 babies diagnosed with RDS was 1083.36 ng/mL, and those without RDS had a mean NGAL value of 1331.92 ng/mL. There was no statistically significant difference between RDS and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels. There were statistically significant differences in umbilical cord blood NGAL levels between babies diagnosed with meconium aspiration syndrome or ventricular septal defect or ABO incompatibility and babies who had not been diagnosed with these diseases. The relationship between neonatal diseases and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels is shown in table 2.
The most common maternal disease of the mothers of the babies included in the study was oligohydramnios (8.9%). Other common maternal diseases were gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (6.1%) and hypertension (6.1%). 39.4% of the mothers were healthy.
There were no statistically significant differences in umbilical cord blood NGAL levels between mothers diagnosed with preeclampsia or placenta previa or GDM or oligohydramnios and mothers who had not been diagnosed with these diseases. However, there was a statistically significant difference between premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels. The relationship between maternal diseases and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels is shown in table 3.
There was no statistically significant difference between Apgar scores and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels. The relationship between Apgar scores and umbilical cord blood NGAL levels is shown in table 4.