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FAQs
- How is cord blood collected?
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It literally only takes minutes to save the stem cells in cord blood. Once the cord is clamped, the cord is wiped with antiseptic and a needle is inserted into one of the veins in the umbilical cord to withdraw a few ounces of blood.
There are two methods of collection in common use. One is to hang a blood bag lower than the mother and let gravity draw blood down the tube into the bag. This method is used in most countries of the world, because it has the fewest steps, and therefore the fewest opportunities for mistakes or contamination.
The second method is to actively draw the blood out, just like when a person has a blood draw for a medical test. The draw can be done with a standard syringe or with a bulb in the bag tubing that creates suction. Studies have shown that actively drawing the blood will collect a larger volume faster.
- Once we have stored cord blood for our family, how long should we keep it?
- Indefinitely. From an economic perspective, it does not make sense to invest in the up-front processing fee and pay for years of annual storage, and then throw out the investment. That would be like buying life insurance and then cancelling it because you have not died yet. Especially given that the probability of some one in the immediate family needing a transplant increases with age. Even if the cord blood collection was small, and the child becomes too large to use it for a transplant, it could still be enough cells for a regenerative medicine therapy. The science of cryobiology tells us that cells which are cryogenically preserved remain viable for decades. It has been confirmed that cord blood stem cells were still viable after being frozen 23+ years.
References:
Broxmeyer, H.E. Cell Stem Cell 2010; 6(1):21-24
Mazur, P. Science 1970; 168(3934):939-949
Nietfeld, J.J. et al. BBMT 2008; 14:316-322 - How does the Institute of Medicine influence cord blood education?
- Congress commissioned an Institute of Medicine study on the ideal structure of a national cord blood
program. Based on the IoM report, Congress passed the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 that was signed into law 20 Dec. 2005. The key language regarding education is the requirement: Information provided to the maternal donor regard(s) all of her medically appropriate cord blood options. ie: Education of expectant parents and Informed Consent of maternal donors should cover all options, not just donation.
