Cord Blood Collection – Some Frequently Asked Questions

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Once youve decided to bank your babys stem
cells, half your battle is won! After all, the
banking of your babys cord blood is a
life-changing decision for you. But, since this
is about your trust with a piece of your baby,
its natural for you to feel worried and have
several questions in your mind about it.   And
the most important questions will be regarding
cord blood collection.
Read on to find out the answers to your questions.
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How Is Cord Blood Collected?
You might have given birth to your baby vaginally
or might have had an emergency C section once
your baby and the placenta is delivered, the cord
is disinfected and the vein is punctured to clamp
and cut it a few inches apart. This is when the
caregiver, inserts a needle into the cord and
collects the blood left behind in the cord and
the placenta in a sterile collection bag.
However, there is an ex utero method of cord
blood collection. That means, collection of the
blood outside the uterus.  In this method, the
technicians, actually wait till the placenta is
delivered to drain the blood.
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Do Babies Feel The Pain When Their Umbilical Cord
Is Cut? No. Rather, the whole process of
umbilical cord blood collection is absolutely
harmless and painless both for you and your baby,
as it does not have nerves for you to get
hurt. Will You Have Any Role To Play In Cord
Blood Collection? Yes! You will only have to
remember that, while signing the application with
the cord blood bank, a cord blood collection kit
was given to you. This kit has all the necessary
materials to complete the process of collection
of the cord blood. Dont forget to carry that kit
with you, and the information your doctor and the
cord blood bank about it while you are about to
go to the hospital for your babys delivery. As
you may not be able to be in a condition to
inform them, while youre delivering your baby or
after youve delivered your baby.
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Why Is The Cord Blood Collected? Research has
shown that the cord blood is packed with enormous
haematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells, which
has the capacity to differentiate itself into
different blood cells, during a stem cell
transplant. This self-renewing capacity of these
stem cells have been instrumental in treating
over 80 medical conditions, like cancer,
thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, thus
making cord blood banking an important decision
for expectant parents. Heres is the reason why
is the cord blood collected. How Long Does It
Take To Collect The Cord Blood? The whole process
of collection is carried out by some of the
trained technicians and it takes only 5 minutes
for the blood to get collected. Any amount of
delay might reduce the quality of the cord blood.
Therefore, immediately after the delivery of the
baby, the medical courier collects the collection
kit box, which is then properly labelled to send
it to the bank for further processing and storage
in the laboratory.
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To Conclude In fact, the cord blood
banks consider that with proper storage and
freezing method (in liquid nitrogen), your babys
stem cells can be preserved for decades. Or maybe
for an indefinite period of time so that, your
baby and your extended family can use it for
treatment at any time, even after two decades of
its being stored, thus making cord blood storage
an absolute worth.
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Source https//www.cordlifeindia.com/blog/cord-bl
ood-collection-some-frequently-asked-questions/