Utility of cord blood culture in early onset neonatal sepsis.

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of neonatal mortality. The clinical outcome mainly depends on the early diagnosis and peripheral venous blood culture (PVBC) is the most widely practiced diagnostic method.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the utility of umbilical cord blood culture (UCBC) in neonates at high risk of early onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) in comparison to peripheral venous blood culture.