You may think you want to understand how cord blood is collected, but you’re probably hoping to hear just two words, in order of importance: Painless. Quick. Neither mother nor baby will likely even be aware it’s happening. Of course, there are a few more details involved in collecting the invaluable stem cells from an umbilical cord. An overview will give you an idea of the steps in the process.
Plan Enrollment
The decision to bank your child’s cord blood and tissue is not something to put off. Your plan should be in place well before your due date so that the doctor can be prepared—and the parents can focus on the delivery. A reputable cord blood bank will answer all your questions so you’ll know what to expect. After enrolling, you’ll be given a kit with all the tools your doctor will need to extract the cord blood.
Doctor Consultation
Things happen quickly once the baby arrives. Mom is excited to meet her brand-new, tiny, wrinkled best friend. Baby will be busy, you know, breathing air for the first time. While you’re both distracted, your doctor needs to be ready to collect the cord blood within minutes—even seconds—of the birth. Make sure they’re aware of your intentions so that the medical staff will know their roles and have the right equipment at hand.
Packing the Kit
It’s important to actually bring the collection kit to the hospital, so we put that in bigger letters.
Clamping and Collecting
While you’re experiencing the miracle of life, your doctor will be performing one extra step before the umbilical cord is cut. Once the baby can survive on their own, there’s no more need for the cord. But there are still some rich resources lingering inside the cord. The blood and tissue within contain stem cells that might one day help save a life. After clamping the cord, the doctor collects the blood safely. It’s all over before you probably would even think to ask about it.
Transport To the Bank
After the cord blood collection process, the stem cells are shipped to us at New England Cord Blood Bank for testing and processing. Then we put them in cryogenically frozen storage so they’re there if and when you need them. We have a team of experienced professionals who know how to protect and preserve cord blood with the latest technology. If you want to understand more about how cord blood is collected, just give us a call.
