Journal Health of Woman. 2026. 1(182): 50-55. doi: 10.15574/HW.2026.1(182).5055

Aliyeva A. M.¹, Polukhova A. A.^1,2, Nasirova S. R.¹, Mekhdiyeva S. A.¹, Mammadova N. M.², Adilova A. I.^2
1Scientific Research Pediatrics Institute named after K.Y. Farajova, Baku, Azerbaijan
²Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku

For citation: Aliyeva AM, Polukhova AA, Nasirova SR, Mekhdiyeva SA, Mammadova NM, Adilova AI. (2026). The role of perinatal risk factors in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Ukrainian Journal Health of Woman. 1(182): 50-55. doi: 10.15574/HW.2026.1(182).5055
Article received: Dec 16, 2025. Accepted for publication: Jan 28, 2026.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most severe perinatal diseases and is associated with high mortality among preterm infants.
Aim – to investigate the role of perinatal risk factors in the development of NEC.
Material and methods. The study involved 69 infants with NEC treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Preterm Infants Unit (study groups I and II). The control (III) group consisted of 31 conditionally healthy infants.  The diagnosis of NEC was established according to Bell’s criteria. In turn, each group was subdivided into two subgroups: infants weighing less than 1500 g and those weighing more than 1500 g. In order to determine the role of antenatal risk factors in the development of NEC among the infants included in the study, genital and extragenital pathologies, as well as the course of pregnancy and delivery, were evaluated in 100 mothers and analyzed across the study groups.
Results. Thus, based on the results of the present study, in mothers of infants in Groups I and II, turbid amniotic fluid (p<0.001), intrauterine infection (p<0.001), and birth asphyxia (p<0.001), as well as in mothers of infants in Group II, arterial hypertension (p<0.05), preeclampsia (p<0.05), and operative delivery (p<0.001), are significant ante- and intranatal risk factors for the development of NEC. In addition, respiratory distress syndrome (p<0.05) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (p<0.05) were identified as postnatal risk factors for the development of NEC in low birth weight newborns.
Conclusion. The findings of the present study demonstrate that both antenatal and intranatal factors play a significant role in the development of NEC in newborns, particularly in low birth weight infants.
The study complied with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the institutional Ethics Committee. Informed consent was obtained from the patients prior to participation.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Keywords: necrotizing enterocolitis, preterm infant, perinatal risk factors.

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