After the delivery of a baby, cord blood remains in the umbilical cord and placenta. This blood is a rich source of stem cells that can boost the immune system. During the cord blood storage process, umbilical blood is collected and all the immune cells present in it are cryogenically frozen for future medical usage. Banking your baby’s blood will be a new experience. Your concern regarding the complexity of the process is genuine. But to bring to your notice, banking is a seamless process causing no harm to the baby as well as the mother.

Processes involved in cord blood storage

The delivery is not at all affected by banking. The entire process of collection, procession, and cryopreservation is done by professional healthcare workers. The processes involved are as follows.

1.  Enroll yourself with a cord blood bank

The process of enrolment is free. If you enroll earlier and then later decide not to opt for blood banking, there will be no issues. Make sure to return the collection kit to the banking cell to avoid paying any charges. There are certain forms that you will have to fill before delivery, while some at the time of delivery. Inform your gynecologist about your decision of banking much before. Keep the collection kit carefully with your hospital bag.

2.  Collection process

Testing of maternal blood samples is done pre-delivery to eradicate any possibility of an infection. Cord blood is collected immediately after the delivery from the umbilical cord. The Healthcare provider also collects cord tissue after delivery of the placenta. The entire collection process is pain-free for the baby as well as the mother.

The healthcare provider clamps and cuts the umbilical cord. After proper cleaning, a needle is inserted to collect blood. The baby does not come in contact with the needle, ensuring a no-pain process for him. All efforts are made to collect as much blood as possible. After collecting the maximum possible cord blood, your gynecologist will cut a large segment of cord tissue. It will be collected in a collection cup after a thorough cleaning.

3.  Transportation of cord blood

A toll-free number of cells are provided on the collection kit that you receive. Within two hours of the delivery, make a call at that number. Someone will receive your call 24×7. Soon after the call, a courier will be arranged from the parents’ location to the blood bank. The bag containing the blood and cord tissue is sealed and your family’s name label is attached to it to avoid any replacement. The samples of maternal blood samples are also labeled. You will get a notification once your cord blood, cord tissue, and maternal blood samples reach the lab.

4.  Testing the umbilical blood

After 36 to 48 hours of cord blood storage, it is tested, processed, and cryogenically stored. Cord blood and tissues are tested for microbiological contamination. Specialized laboratory technologies are applied to maximize stem cells recovered from the blood. The banking cell stores the cord blood in situations to make sure to preserve all cell types and expand future medical help options. According to recent studies, a mix of stem cells stimulates teamwork with the body organs. This makes the regenerative medical process more effective. So, blood banks store the entire umbilical cord tissue to preserve the maximum possible types of cells.

5.  Preservation of cord blood

Cord blood and tissue are stored in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen at temperatures below -170 degrees Celsius. All cell types are preserved with extra protection against any feasible cross-contamination. A lot of research on possible medical treatments via cord blood is under process.

Keeping this fact in mind, banking blood these days also preserves cord blood’s residual plasma and red blood cells. These may prove to be beneficial in some treatments in the future. Make sure that the blood bank you choose for banking preserves additional samples for future benefits. After all, you have opted for cord blood banking for the medical benefits of your baby.