Cord Blood HarvestingCord blood harvesting is one of the most important steps in preserving the umbilical cord blood simply because it is less in quantity (approximately 180ml) and if it is not properly collected, it loses it inherent properties. Therefore parents who are considering storing it in public or private cord blood banks must be aware of the importance of harvesting the blood in the right way. Early on it is vital to state that the process of harvesting does not harm the baby or the mother in any way. Primarily this is because the blood is collected after the baby is born and after the cord is clamped. This means the blood rich in stem cells is collected at a time when neither the baby nor the mother is in direct contact with the cord. However the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend cord blood harvesting after complicated births where the baby or the mother has experienced trauma of some sort. This is done through cord blood gas analysis, using which doctors assess whether there is any newborn depression or distress due to lack of adequate oxygen, or through cord blood sampling which is used to test for any genetic defect in the baby. Steps involved in harvesting the cord blood * Once a family decides to collect cord blood after the birth of a child, the mother must obtain a collection kit. Such kits could include questionnaires relating to family medical history, a consent form, and the collection materials. * Consent must be given before the onset of labour pains and before collection of cord blood can begin. * The consent must also include information on which tests will be conducted on the blood and also the procedure in which the parents might be informed about test results should they be abnormal. * After the blood is harvested, a number of tests are done including screening for infectious diseases and for hereditary hematologic diseases. * If the tests are clear and if a substantial quantity of blood has been collected, then it will be cryogenically stored for potential transplantation in future. It may also be used for research purposes under certain circumstances. Harvesting cord blood is a safe procedure for both the mother and the baby. In fact it is of great benefit because storing cord blood may allow life-saving transplants to be performed on needy people.
|