Cord Blood Banking Process - Cryo-Cell

Cord Blood Banking Process - Cryo-Cell

The Cord Blood Banking Process

Stem cell collection, processing & preservation:
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

For most parents, the process of collecting, processing and preserving their newborn’s cord blood is a new one. The more you learn about cord blood banking, the more you’ll realize how simple it is to do. Below is valuable information about banking your baby’s cord blood. Should you still have any questions, our highly trained nurses are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Cord Blood Collection

Cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord immediately after a baby’s birth, but generally before the placenta has been delivered. The moment of delivery is the only opportunity to harvest a newborn’s stem cells. There is absolutely no pain or risk to the mother or child during the collection process since the blood is taken from the cord once it has been clamped and cut. And collection is safe for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries.

To collect cord blood, a healthcare provider uses a U-Cord® Collection Kit supplied by Cryo-Cell Cord Blood Bank —so advance arrangements will need to be made. Cord blood is drawn from the umbilical cord into the blood collection bag that comes in the kit. The mother’s blood will also be collected at this time, to be tested for certain infectious diseases required by regulations. Both the baby’s and mother’s blood are then packaged in the special shipping materials provided. Lastly, parents call a courier's toll-free telephone number to arrange for pick-up and delivery of the cord blood to Cryo-Cell’s laboratory.

Many healthcare professionals charge a fee for the procedure of collecting umbilical cord blood. So, discuss this procedure with them prior to enrolling in our service to verify their agreement to perform the collection. Cryo-Cell’s clients have the opportunity to be reimbursed up to $175 by Cryo-Cell Cord Blood Bank for professional collection fees, when presented with proper documentation. This reimbursement will be credited to your Cryo-Cell account or paid directly to your caregiver's practice. A form is provided with the collection kit.

Cord Blood Processing

Within 36 to 48 hours of collection, the blood is processed, tested, separated and its stem cells cryogenically stored (frozen). But the process is by no means simple.

First, an affiliated laboratory that is CLIA-certified and FDA-registered tests the mother’s blood for syphilis, hepatitis, HTLV, HIV and CMV. This testing regimen determines the infectious disease status, and allows the cord blood to potentially be used for family use, not just autologous (self) use. In the event that any of the infectious disease screening tests are positive, confirmatory tests will be automatically performed. The cost for initial screening tests is included in your enrollment fee. Should confirmatory testing be required it will be billed separately and will typically cost less than $100.00. Each cord blood sample is also tested to confirm the absence of microbiological contamination.

Then, Cryo-Cell Cord Blood Bank utilizes a hydroxyethyl starch (Hespan®) method to reduce the number of red blood cells, isolating the nucleated white blood cell fraction, which contains the stem cells. These cells are then mixed with DMSO, the cryoprotectant, and Dextran, and stored in a special, compartmentalized cryobag. Simply put, Cryo-Cell Cord Blood Bank uses a medically proven, scientifically advanced process to prepare your newborn’s stem cells for storage.

Note that human tissue (HLA) typing is not routinely performe

d at the time of processing, but would be necessary to confirm compatibility if the stem cells are being considered for use in treatment where the recipient is not also the donor. HLA typing may be performed via blood testing as an insurance-reimbursable cost in a typical physician-ordered transplant work-up.

Cryogenic Cord Blood Storage

To store our clients’ precious stem cells, Cryo-Cell Cord Blood Bank uses special, compartmentalized cryobags. The bag includes a 20ml and 5ml sample and three segments for testing, and is over-wrapped for added protection. A technique called "controlled-rate freezing" is used to prepare the cells for long-term storage. Then the bag is housed in a protective cassette and placed in liquid nitrogen dewars for cryogenic (frozen) preservation. Our storage conditions are closely monitored for security and temperature. Once the stem cells are stored, the parents, as the child’s guardians, have control over their use and disposal. Initially, no stem cells will be released by Cryo-Cell Cord Blood Bank without the parents' consent. Once the child reaches legal age, however, control passes to him or her.

It is believed that stem cells can be successfully stored long term, perhaps decades, in a cryopreserved form, though sufficient years have not passed to prove the absolute length of time. However, a recent study of cord blood at Indiana University demonstrated its viability after 15 years of cryogenic storage. What’s more, bone marrow has been stored for decades and has remained viable—there is no reason to believe that the same would not be true of cord blood.