The Association of Umbilical Cord Blood Neurofilament Light With Nonreassuring Fetal Status: A Prospective Observational Study
Abstract
( Int J Gynaecol Obstet . 2026 Mar;172(3):1491–1500. doi:10.1002/ijgo.70421) A prospective observational study explored whether neurofilament light (NfL), a marker of neuronal injury, can be reliably measured in umbilical cord blood and whether it is associated with nonreassuring fetal status and neonatal outcomes. Early identification of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is essential, as therapeutic hypothermia must begin within six hours of birth to be effective. However, current diagnostic tools, such as clinical assessments and cord blood acid-base measurements, lack specificity for detecting neuronal injury. As a result, there is a need for more sensitive biomarkers that can better reflect fetal hypoxia and neurological compromise.
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Authors: David Zalcberg, Emma Payne, Thomas Payne, Neha Mahajan, Jessica Barry, Andrew D. Duckworth, Bradley de Vries, Fernando González‐Ortiz, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, Benjamin Moran, Helen J. Manning, Robert D. Sanders
Institutions: The George Institute for Global Health, St George Hospital, The University of Sydney, University College London, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sorbonne Université, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, University of Gothenburg, University of Science and Technology of China, University of Newcastle Australia, Sydney Local Health District, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, UK Dementia Research Institute, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires, Institut du Cerveau, National Health and Medical Research Council, Gosford Hospital, Central Coast Local Health District