What is Cord Blood?
The placenta is an organ responsible for the exchange of nutrients and oxygen between the baby and the mother during pregnancy. The baby in the womb is connected to the placenta via the umbilical cord. After birth, the placenta completes its function and is expelled from the uterus.
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord on the placenta side after the baby is born.
What Are the Clinical Uses of Cord Blood?
- Childhood blood and blood disorders: e.g., leukemia and lymphomas
- Bone marrow disorders: aplastic anemia, Fanconi anemia, etc.
- Hereditary blood disorders: major thalassemia (Mediterranean anemia), sickle cell anemia, amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia, etc.
- Cancer diseases: neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin disease, ALL, AML, CLL, retinoblastoma, etc
- Congenital metabolic disorders: myelodysplastic syndrome (MD)
How is Cord Blood Collected?
Cord blood is collected from the section of the umbilical cord remaining on the placenta side after the baby is born. Normally, immediately after birth, the cord blood and umbilical cord are discarded as medical waste. However, birth is the only opportunity to preserve cord blood and the umbilical cord. After the baby is separated from the mother, whether by vaginal birth or cesarean section, a doctor collects the cord blood using an internationally standardized collection kit under sterile conditions within 1-2 minutes, without harming the mother or the baby. Approximately 60–120 milliliters of blood can be collected. It is then transferred to a special container and must reach our center within 48 hours to be processed for long-term storage.
Cord Blood Banking
The cord blood collected after birth is preserved in specially prepared sealed areas, frozen in liquid nitrogen tanks at -196 °C.
According to the Cord Blood Banking Regulation issued by the Ministry of Health on July 5, 2005, the storage period for cord blood is specified as 12 years. Nowadays, it is stated that cord blood can theoretically be stored for a lifetime at -196°C. If an extension of the storage period is desired after 12 years, the decision-making authority lies with the family until the child turns 18, after which it rests with the donor.
The stored cord blood and umbilical cord can become a valuable health legacy that the individual may leave to other family members in the future.
If you need to use the cord blood, the first thing you should do is inform ONKIM as soon as possible via email or phone. This notification is crucial for the bank to make the necessary preparations. The company representatives will provide you with detailed information immediately, and the cord blood will be transferred to the clinic or hospital where treatment will take place under suitable conditions.