ObjectiveTo study umbilical cord interleukin-6 levels and the occurrence of neonatal sepsis, congenital pneumonia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and grade II–IV intraventricular hemorrhage.MethodsUmbilical cord blood was collected from 133 preterm newborns. The study population was divided according to the presence or absence of neonatal complications. Interleukin-6 levels and clinical characteristics were compared by univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsSixteen neonates had adverse outcomes, and 117 were unaffected. The median interleukin-6 level was significantly higher in affected than in unaffected infants (145 pg/mL versus 0 pg/mL,P= .002). Elevated interleukin-6 levels were associated independently with neonatal morbidityin multiple logistic regression modeling that included gestational age, birth weight, and antenatal steroid exposure.ConclusionUmbilical cord blood interleukin-6 levels are elevated in neonates who subsequently develop sepsis, congenital pneumonia, necrotizing enterocolitis, or grade II–IV intraventricular hemorrhage.