CORD BLOOD PROCESSING AND STORAGE
The cord blood banking process with M.A.Z.E. includes the following:
Cord Blood Collection Process
Cord blood storage and processing with M.A.Z.E. is simple and worry-free. Follow these five easy steps and the rest will be handled by our expert customer service and technical staff.
1. Choose how to register with M.A.Z.E.
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Download forms to fill out and fax
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Call us at 877-629-3522 to request an information packet by mail or email which includes the registration forms you need.
2. We will mail out a M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories collection kit once we receive your registration materials and deposit of $100
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Detailed instructions are included for your OB, nurses or midwife
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Each kit is supplied with the appropriate supplies for vaginal or Cesearean delivery
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We can accommodate twins at your request
3. Take the cord blood collection kit with you to the hospital
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Your physician or nurse will use this kit to collect your baby's cord blood and draw your blood
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Each kit has an easy to find Medical Courier phone number on it. Call this number upon collection and a medical courier will arrive at your hospital and escort the cord blood on its journey to our lab
4. Once you’re home and settled
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You will hear from one of our friendly cord blood coordinators, assuring you that you baby’s cord blood has been processed
5. The balance of the cord blood processing fee
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Will be charged to your previously provided payment information
Feel free to contact us, or call us at (877) 629-3522 if you have any questions about the collection process with M.A.Z.E.
Cord Blood Processing: Technical Details
The cord blood will be collected after the umbilical cord has been cut and either before or after the placenta has been delivered. Therefore, there is absolutely no risk to you or your baby. Additionally, the physician will draw three tubes of the mother's blood for testing.
A medical courier will bring the cord blood collection kit containing the cord blood and the mother's blood to our cord blood processing laboratory.
In the lab, the technician will:
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Run the mother's blood through a wide variety of tests to ensure that there are no diseases present at the time of delivery that could have transferred to the child's cord blood.
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Reduce the volume of the blood to about one quarter of the collected volume (approximately 25 ml or .85 ounce) by removing a large proportion of the red blood cells and plasma (liquid portion of the blood). The red blood cells and plasma do not need to be stored as they do not contain stem cells.
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Analyze the cord blood to determine how many transplantable cells are present and create a report with this information. This information will be useful in case you need to use the cord blood later.
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Add cryopreservative (special chemicals to help in the freezing process) to the remaining stem cell collection.
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Slowly chill the bag at a rate of 1º centigrade (C) per minute until it reaches the optimal freezing temperature of -130º C (-320º Fahrenheit).
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Transfer the stem cell collection into storage.
Cord Blood Storage: Technical Details
There are two different ways to store cord blood: in "full liquid" (that means that the tank is full of liquid nitrogen, stored at -190º Celsius) or in "vapor" (that means that the specimens are not in the liquid, but rather in the vapor from the liquid, stored at -130º Celsius). There are pros and cons to each storage method, but the industry standard is changing to vapor.
Although temperature maintenance used to be better in full liquid, new cord blood storage tanks have been significantly improved and now vapor tanks are able to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the tanks. Also, there is some hesitation about storing in full liquid because infections or bacteria might be able to "swim" through the liquid and infect another specimen.
M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories has begun storing specimens in vapor as we are now confident of temperature control using this method. Our tank's temperature is monitored electronically with readings every hour and we have two back-up alarm systems should the temperature be compromised in any way.
Cord blood storage: Ensuring Safety
Questions? Ask a cord blood expert
