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.