Umbilical cord blood or cord blood is the blood that circulates through the umbilical cord between the foetus and the placenta. It is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta, after the baby is born and the cord is cut. If parents decide not to donate or bank their baby’s cord blood, the umbilical cord, placenta and residual blood is usually discarded after birth.
The cord blood banking process begins when you go into labour, on the day of your baby’s birth. You will be required to inform the delivery room staff that you have registered with SCBB for cord blood banking. The process overview is as follows:
Cord blood is collected by the ObGyn or delivery room staff after the baby is safely delivered. A sample of the mother’s blood is also collected for testing.
Collected cord blood is evaluated for volume of blood, number of stem cells and cell viability. If it is suitable for banking, cord blood is processed into a final product of 25ml white blood cell concentrate called a Cord Blood Unit (CBU).
Cord Blood Unit (CBU) that is suitable for banking is prepared for cryopreservation and eventually stored in a cryopreservation storage tank maintained at a temperature of less than -150°C.
25% chance of a match between siblings
Cord blood stem cells adapt better than adult stem cells
SCBB has facilitated over 305 cord blood transplants in Singapore & abroad
A stem cell match is most likely found within your own ethnic group
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