What happens after the cord blood is collected?
Collecting cord blood stem cells
Immediately after the birth of your baby (either by vaginal delivery or by caesarian section) the umbilical cord is clamped and cut in the normal manner separating the baby from the placenta and mother. The portion of the umbilical cord still attached to the placenta is then cleaned. A needle is then inserted into the umbilical vein and the placental blood is drawn, by gravity flow, into a sterile blood collection bag containing anti-coagulant to prevent the blood from clotting.
The collection process is non-invasive, completely painless and takes only a few minutes to complete. A maternal blood sample is also required for infectious disease testing.
Shipping cord blood stem cells to Cryosite
The collected cord blood, maternal blood sample and collection forms are placed in a validated temperature- controlled shipping container and sealed. You or your partner then contacts our specialist biomedical courier who is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 a days a year. We will give you a special 1800 number to call. The cord blood shipper can safely remain at room temperature until the courier arrives. Cryosite then co ordinate the transport of the cord blood to our cryopreservation laboratories.
When the courier arrives, you or a family member will be asked to sign a packing slip and consignment note, releasing the cord blood for shipment to Cryosite. Your baby’s cord blood will then be shipped (by air if interstate or international) to our laboratories in Sydney for processing, testing and cryopreservation at the ultra low temperatures required for the long term storage and viability of the cord blood stem cells (colder than minus 180 deg C).
Processing cord blood stem cells
Our laboratory scientists receive and process cord blood collections every day of the year. On arrival at our laboratories, your baby’s cord blood is tested, processed and prepared for cryogenic storage. Initial testing includes sterility, haematology and CD34+ counts. Maternal samples are tested for infectious diseases.
The cord blood is then processed to remove the red blood cells and excess plasma and the buffy coat component containing the umbilical cord blood stem cells is separated.
Cryopreservation cord blood stem cells
When processing is complete, the cord blood stem cells are cryopreserved in specially designed freezing bags, developed to withstand ultra-low and cryogenic temperatures without damage. The cells are protected during cryopreservation through the use of cryo-protective solutions and precisely controlling the freezing rate.
Cryogenic storage of cord blood stem cells
Once frozen, the metal canisters containing the cord blood stem cells are transferred to vapour phase liquid nitrogen for long-term storage.
Release for use
When required, the cord blood stem cells are removed from their long-term storage tank and transferred to a validated cryogenic shipping container for transport to the transplant centre. Cryosite can safely ship your child’s stem cells to any transplant centre within Australia or overseas.