Comparison of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Serum Levels in Neonates Born via Vaginal Delivery and Caesarean Section

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a pivotal role in hematopoiesis, immune system and acute phase response. This cytokine is found in umbilical cord blood and is a protective marker for neonatal stress and infection. This study aimed to compare serum levels of IL-6 in neonates born via vaginal delivery and caesarean section. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 35 neonates born via cesarean section and 46 neonates born via term vaginal delivery at Ayatollah Rohani Hospital of Babol, Iran in 2012. Neonates had appropriate weight for gestational age, one-minute and five-minute Apgar scores of ≥8 and no clinical and laboratory evidence of neonatal infection. To determine IL-6 serum levels, 5 ml of blood was obtained from the umbilical cord of each neonate, and blood samples were analyzed using enzyme-immunoassays methods. Moreover, data such as maternal age, infant age and sex, number of pregnancies and parity were recorded and compared. FINDINGS: In this study, mean age of mothers with vaginal and caesarean delivery was 28.6±4.8 and 25.5±5.7 years, respectively (p=0.011). In total, 20(43.5%) and 16(45.7%) neonates in vaginal and cesarean delivery groups were male, respectively. Mean of IL-6 serum concentration in neonates born via vaginal delivery (10.9±3.11) was higher compared to cesarean group (6.6±3.15); however, this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, neonates born via vaginal delivery and cesarean section had no significant difference in terms of IL-6 serum levels.