Basics of Cord Blood Collection
Umbilical cord blood is human blood from the placenta and umbilical cord that is rich in stem cells. Cord blood is collected after the umbilical cord has been detached from the newborn, and sometimes used as a source of stem cells for transplantation.
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 collection of this blood is done within 15 minutes after the birth and is not a painful procedure. It is a simple and safe procedure for the mother and the baby, and is done by the doctor or the nurse. There are two ways that cord blood collection can be done: syringe or bag method. If the syringe method is used, the blood is drawn from the umbilical cord after it has been cut. This method resembles having ones blood drawn. The bag method of cord blood collection yields as much as possible. The umbilical cord is raised, causing the this blood to flow into the bag.
The collection of cord blood is the responsibility of the cord blood bank or cord blood registry. An important issue here is that if there is any complication during pregnancy or the delivery. The umbilical cord blood is not collected. Besides, the quantity matters too. If the blood in the placenta is too less, the plan for cord blood collection is abandoned. Usually, a single unit of cord blood is around three to five ounces. Less cord blood collected, means less stem cells.
Cord blood banking is an expensive affair. Not many parents are sure whether they want to go ahead with the preservation, thinking about the expenses. After all, if their child or its siblings require a transplant, the age old process of bone marrow is always available. Experts here claim that the stem cells in the cord blood are richer than the ones in the bone marrow. This argument can be challenged by the fact that bone marrow transplants do not face the ‘quantity limitation’ like the umbilical cord blood. At the end of the day, it depends on the parents of the baby whether they want to preserve the cord blood of the baby in a cord blood bank. Some parents, however, like to look at it as a health insurance for the family.