The Vital Points You Need to Ensure About Cord Blood Storage Standard

Gone are the days when umbilical cord blood was discarded after the birth of newborns as wastes. Since the high potential of the left-over blood in the umbilical has been proven as a rich source of stem cells that help treat more than 80 serious diseases of the newborn baby and her family members; the tendency of cord blood banking is increasing faster among parents. Precisely, with cord blood storage of your baby in a high-profile and accredited private cord blood bank, you can save your child and potentially your family member from life-threatening diseases like cancer (leukemia-lymphoma), cerebral palsy, blood disorders, metabolic diseases, immune deficiencies as well as autism and more.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the FDA encourages parents to consider cord blood banking that works more than their family insurance. For interested parents, it’s important to note that the process of cord blood storage involves various stages, while proper storing according to the medical guidelines is most important. Especially as you prefer to go for private banking to have your right on the cord blood (choosing public banks is mainly for donation purposes), keep an eye on the following points with diligence.  

Stipulated delayed cord clamping time

While the key objective of delayed cord clamping allows the required volume of blood to flow into the umbilical cord of a newborn, the action needs to take place within 30-60 seconds after the baby’s birth. Waiting beyond that recommended time will decrease the potency of the cord blood collected rather than adding any extra volume to it. More upsetting is that beyond that time as blood flow slows down in the umbilical cord, the blood will be at risk of a clot.

Time to reach the cord blood bank

Importance of special transportation of cord blood and time allowed reaching the bank for cord blood storage. First of all, make sure that your baby’s cord blood reaches the cord blood bank within a time window of 48 hours (maximum) from the baby’s birth for the needed lab processing. Notably, both FDA and AABB authority recommends all private banks to maintain the 48-hour window.

Transportation of cord blood standard

Further, never forget to check if your private cord blood bank is equipped with well-insulated and preferably with a temperature logger medical transportation container that protects the kit temperature during the shipment of cord blood. The set protocol is to maintain a room temperature within the range from 15 -25 degrees C or 59 to 77 degrees F). Secondly, banks are recommended to use only medical couriers for shipping cord blood and NOT any general courier service.

The standard certification that private cord blood banks should hold

Parents with plans for cord blood storage in a reputable private bank in the US must ensure that the facility is equipped with two voluntary accreditations which are provided by the FDA and AABB based on inspection of their lab procedures, systems, and uprightness to adhere to the rules and guidelines by the authorities.

Processing   

Noteworthy that processing before cord blood storage is an integral part of the system. While three primary components of stem cells are segregated through analysis of their characteristics and weight, the pinkish layer referred to as ‘buffy coat’ that contains white blood cells (WBC) is taken into the storage system. The whole procedure is performed in high-tech laboratories and knowledgeable lab technicians or via automated machines.

Preservation

The procedure of cord blood storage is well-known as cryopreservation. After processing the required stem cells are over-wrapped to prevent them from getting cross-contaminated during preservation. The specimens are taken for storage in a vapor-shaped container of liquid nitrogen at temperatures ranging below -170 degree C or – 274 degree F in cryogenic preservation. The particulars related to parents, family history, and blood samples are stored with full security for future references.