What is Involved in Storing Cord Blood?

Storing cord blood from the umbilical vein has become an increasingly popular choice among new parents. The process is simple and painless. It involves collecting the blood in a special bag after the umbilical cord is cut, then sending the blood to a facility that checks, measures and processes the blood before freezing it and putting it in storage. Whether they choose private cord blood banks or public storage banks, many parents find peace of mind storing cord blood for future medical use.

Cord blood is the blood remaining in the vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby's birth. It contains red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma, and it is rich in stem cells. These blood-forming cells are very similar to those found in bone marrow, and they offer a successful alternative to bone marrow transplants for patients who have blood diseases or immune system diseases.

Expectant parents should make the decision about storing their baby's cord blood by about the 32nd week of gestation. This ensures adequate time for registration and the arrival of a collection kit. Most obstetricians and midwives offer pamphlets from the public and private blood blanks that serve the parents' region.

Parents take the cord blood collection kit to the hospital. The blood can be preserved following a vaginal or cesarean birth. The obstetrician or midwife clamps and cuts the umbilical cord before collecting the cord blood into a special bag. The collection takes no more than four minutes and is painless for the newborn.

After the blood is collected, the umbilical cord blood bag is sealed and labeled. A medical courier transfers the cord blood to a processing center for storage. The accepting lab assesses the cord blood for bacteria or fungus and measures the total volume and the stem cell concentration.

Storing cord blood includes processing that removes excess plasma and cells. The cord blood is sealed in a cryobag with a cryopreservant added to protect the stem cells during freezing and thawing. After it is processed, the cord blood is gradually cooled to avoid shocking the cells, and then it is transferred to a cryopreservation tank.

Research suggests that cord blood cells might be used to replace damaged heart cells and nerve cells. More than 80 diseases can be treated with cord blood cells, including leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia and myelodysplasia. Storing cord blood might also benefit patients who have blood diseases, metabolic diseases and immunodeficiency syndromes. Research also has shown some promise for treatments in the areas of brain injury, diabetes and cerebral palsy.

There is no known time limit on storing cord blood. Several cord blood banks have found success with units stored for more than 13 years. The transplant outcomes were comparable to those of newly preserved specimens.