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Banking Cord Blood – FAQs about Saving Your Baby’s Cord Blood Stem Cells
What are my options for saving my baby's cord blood?There are two options of banks; Local banks (Cell Safe is the only bank available in Egypt) and Sending your stem cells abroad which carries several risks of delay, loss of viability due to delayed processing, process is very hectic handled only by the parents as the bank abroad has no reprehensive in the country creating a hassle for the parents at critical.Return to Top
Should I save cord blood for all of my children?Just as each child is genetically unique, so is that child's cord blood stem cell sample. Parents save cord blood for each of their children to ensure that an exact genetic match is available. In addition, it increases the likelihood of a useful match between family members. The stem cells in a sibling's cord blood are up to twice as likely to be useful for transplant compared to stem cells from the same sibling's bone marrow. In the case of identical twins, it is still important to save as many stem cells as possible, and it is recommended that cord blood be collected for both babies. In general, the collection volume per baby in multiple births is smaller, so collecting for both babies helps ensure an adequate stem cell yield for transplantation if ever needed. Generally, each child's cord blood is banked separately even in the case of identical twins.Return to Top
When and how is the cord blood collected?Cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord immediately after the birth of the baby and after the cord has been cut. This blood is routinely discarded and collecting it does not alter normal birthing procedures. The collection can only take place at the time of delivery and is normally performed by your caregiver.Return to Top
Is collection amount important?Yes. Larger stem cell samples have shown better survival rate in transplant.Return to Top
Is there any risk to my child or myself during collection?No. The cord blood is collected after your baby has been born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. The cord blood that is being collected is blood that would routinely be thrown away. The collection is painless, easy, and safe for mother and baby. Your caregiver will not alter their normal birthing process in any way, except to collect your baby's cord blood. The average time for cord blood collection is about 5 minutes.Return to Top
What about C-Section Deliveries?There are sterile cord blood collection kits for use in c-sections. These kits have provided more C-section collections than all others combined.Return to Top
Does the hospital need to provide any materials for collection?No. You will receive a collection kit for your baby's cord blood stem cells. Your kit contains all the items your caregiver will need to collect your baby's cord blood. However, you must remember to take the kit with you to the hospital when you deliver.Return to Top
Where are my baby's cord blood stem cells stored and how do I know they are stored safely?Our state-of-the-art laboratory and storage facility is located in Cairo Alex desert road Dar El Mona Hospital an area that has not been subject to any major environmental disastersOur laboratory features back-up generators, computer monitoring systems that limit entry to the cryogenic vault strictly to authorized personnel; and paging, computer, and faxing systems that maintain constant contact with our technicians while monitoring the laboratory and storage areas. The facility and systems are monitored twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, to ensure the long-term security of your family's stem cells. In short, we have not only secured a safe location, but also have rigorously designed our systems to ensure the security and safety of your baby's cord blood stem cells.Return to Top
Are our processing methods and results published?Yes, Cell Safe collection method, processing procedure, banking results, will be published at your login location on our web siteReturn to Top
How do you protect my baby's stem cells against potential contamination from other samples?Each client sample is suspended in vapor-phase cryogenic isolation, which protects your family's cells and eliminates the risk of cross-contamination from other samples that can occur in liquid phase storage.Return to Top
What testing is performed by Cell Safe?Cell Safe tests the mother's blood one month before delivery for viral markersPositively tested mother are not eligible for stem cell banking.Return to Top
How long can cord blood stem cells be stored in liquid nitrogen?"There is no evidence at present that [cord blood stem] cells stored at minus 196 degrees Celsius in an undisturbed manner lose either in vitro-determined viability or biological activity. Therefore, at the current time, no expiration date need be assigned to cord blood stored continuously under liquid nitrogen although the first sample has been stored 1986 and still viable to dateReturn to Top
Does Cell Safe perform HLA typing on the cord blood samples?No. Cell Safe does not do any HLA typing prior to storage because it is not necessary until the sample is retrieved for use. At that point in time, both the donor and the recipient should perform the test, which will determine if the sample is a match for the patient.Return to Top
How do I know that my baby's cord blood sample will not be confused with someone else's?Your sample ID is ensured through a triple identification system:
The first is a unique identifier and bar code. When you enroll with Cell Safe your baby's collection kit is assigned a unique identifier (bar code), and this same identifier always remains with your baby's cord blood kit, paperwork, and sample. Each sample is encased in an outer protective layer to ensure the bar code never detaches from the sample.The second identifier is a client I.D. label which is permanently attached to each vial.Third is the storage location of your baby's unique sample. This information is stored in our computer system, which is backed up daily, via optical disk .Return to Top
If my family ever needs the cord blood sample how do we retrieve it?Should the need arise, Cell Safe client services department and your physician would make arrangements for confirmatory testing, release, and transportation of your baby's stem cells to a designated hospital.Return to Top
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