Cord blood banking

Preparing for the collection of umbilical cord blood

The collection of umbilical cord blood is preceded by a medical interview with the child’s mother, which is required for qualification performed by the supervising doctor (a specialist in haematology and transplantation). Next, parents receive SCB documents and a collection kit from nOvum. The optimal time for execution of this stage is approximately one month before due date.

The collection kit was carefully prepared by our experts in order to safely collect cord blood and transport it to the SCB nOvum laboratory. After the child’s birth, the midwife has only a few minutes from cutting the umbilical cord to placenta expulsion (in some cases, umbilical cord blood is collected after placenta expulsion) to collect the precious stem cells. It is very important to use the right type of collection container, constituting the most significant part of the kit. Containers used in nOvum SCB were specially designed for the collection of umbilical cord blood. They are equipped with two large-gauge needles, which allow shortening the time of collection. The collection kit contains:

• collection bag,
• syringe with needle to collect the mother’s venous blood,
• sterile surgical gloves,
• surgical mask,
• sterile surgical liner,
• temperature recorder (to control temperature inside the collection kit, from the stage of collecting blood to the stage of blood preparation at the laboratory),
• gels to keep proper temperature inside the kit,
• medical records (filled by the midwife),
• marking sticker set,
• security seals.

The final thing that parents need to do is to take the kit to the delivery ward and give it to the midwife.

Collection of umbilical cord blood

The preparation

The umbilical cord blood, obtained and secured by a midwife, is safely transported in a closed, labelled kit to the SCB nOvum headquarters. In our laboratory, the material is weighed, and the blood volume, cell count and viability are checked. The sterility of the sample is checked during microbiological testing. The mother’s venous blood undergoes serological testing. If the obtained material meets the SCB nOvum criteria, the blood will be qualified for further processing.

The next stage is preparation. In this step, the blood is processed in order to reduce its volume and remove the unnecessary elements. At this stage, the white blood cells are selected in which stem cells can be found. In order to carry out this process, we have a separate laboratory in our headquarters, which allows eliminating the unnecessary transport of samples. The preparation takes place in a closed (sterile) system which prevents contamination of the sample during processing. All the mentioned steps are being performed by experienced specialists using modern equipment which undergoes detailed technical review every year.

The prepared stem cells are placed in a labelled cassette and subjected to controlled freezing. The material is assigned a unique SEC code – this number is unique globally, which makes it impossible to confuse samples needed for transplantation or for other purposes.

Storing umbilical cord blood

Frozen stem cells are put in a cryogenic tank (cryostat) and kept in liquid nitrogen vapour in a temperature of approximately -196°C. Three weeks after childbirth, you will be informed about test results by phone. Next, we will send you documentation including blood preparation protocols and a deposit certificate, which constitutes an official confirmation of stem cell storage in SCB nOvum. The certificate includes a unique SEC code, assigned to your deposit.

Cells deposed in our Bank are under constant observation and protection. In the case of power failure, additional batteries keep cryogenic tanks running. SCB nOvum headquarters have BMS – Building Management System which informs employees about every change in the building environment.