At the University of Basrah - College of Medicine a research had been discussed the measurement of interleukin-6 in the umbilical cord blood of newborns suffering from birth asphyxia. The research, presented by the Arabic Council for Health Specialties student Mohammed Abdul Sattar who works at Basrah Hospital for Gynecology and Pediatrics, aims to evaluate the level of interleukin-6 in the umbilical cord blood in addition to studying the relationship between the level of interleukin-6 in the umbilical cord blood and various birth complications. The value of this factor increased in birth complications such as umbilical cord prolapse, postpartum hemorrhage, and meconium aspiration. The prolonged labor showed the highest average concentration (78.94 picograms/liter), indicating its profound effect on inflammatory responses in newborns. In contrast, children in whom did not suffer from any complications showed a significantly lower level of interleukin.

The study concluded that measuring the level of interleukin 6 in the cord blood of newborns at risk of birth asphyxia can be used as a  prognostic biomarker for acute hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and also used as a laboratory adjunct to the Bayes profile through Apgar score and Sarnat score for early diagnosis of complication, its severity and outcomes.