Cord blood is the blood which is extracted from the umbilical cord and the placenta after a baby’s birth. It is rich in blood forming cells. These cells are called stem cells. Research has proved that stem cells can be used to effectively treat various diseases which were earlier regarded as difficult to cure.
Collection of this blood can take place no matter if the baby is born via vaginal or cesarean delivery. The blood bank where you signed your consent form and filled out the questionnaire about your family health history will provide a special kit for collecting cord blood stem cells. That kit is used before the disposal of placenta, which is also used for collecting blood and cells. Although the cesarean delivery is a more complicated process for the collection, cord blood collection may still be made. In this case the amount collected would be smaller.
The first method is to collect the blood after the placenta has been delivered. Because blood in the placenta and umbilical cord clots rapidly, ex utero cord blood collection is performed as soon as possible after delivery of the placenta, typically within 10 minutes. The second method is to collect cord blood during the third stage of labor after the baby, but before the placenta is delivered. This method has the possible advantage of the placenta being compressed by the uterus, allowing more blood to be collected. However, in utero cord blood collection takes place in an environment that is inherently subject to a greater risk of contaminating the cord blood during collection.
The training and reporting relationship for the two forms also vary: the after placental delivery method uses collectors trained and employed by the cord blood bank; the utero collections are performed by the delivery room staff, usually the obstetrician or midwife who is responsible for the delivery of the baby and the placenta.
Cord blood collection is a simple, safe and painless procedure done regularly by cord blood banks like Cells4Life. Cord blood banking uses external facilities as a place to store and preserve your baby?s cord blood for a future use. Cord blood collection does not interfere with delivery.
