Cord Blood Banking and Processing - FAQs
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 Tucson, Arizona, a location that historically has not been subject to major environmental disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
Our laboratory is overseen by Scientific Director, David Harris, Ph.D, one of the world's foremost experts on cord blood stem cell banking. Our 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.
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Are your processing methods and results published?
Yes. Cord Blood Registry's collection method, processing procedure, banking results, and success rates have been published in the following journals and forums:
Harris, D.T., Schumacher, M.J., Rychlik, S., et al., "Collection, Separation and Cryopreservation of Umbilical Cord Blood for Use in Transplantation," Bone Marrow Transplantation, 1994
Harris, D.T., "Cord Blood Banking for Transplantation," Canadian Journal of Clinical Medicine, March 1997
ACOG Abstracts 2002 ACM, Los Angeles
Harris, D.T., "Collection Processing and Banking of Umbilical Cord Blood for Clinical Use," The Journal of the Bellevue Obstetrical & Gynecological Society, Spring 2002
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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.
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What testing is performed by Cord Blood Registry?
Cord Blood Registry tests incoming blood before and after processing as part of our quality control to ensure the sample is contaminant-free on arrival and continues to be during processing in our laboratory. Our blood screening exceeds FDA regulations for testing and quality control. Our laboratory's strict internal quality control measures require that the liquid nitrogen in the cryogenic vaults be tested on a monthly basis.
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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." Or in vapor phase at minus 196 C liquid nitrogen temperatures.
----Guidelines for Collection, Processing and Storage of Cord Blood Stem Cells; New York State Department of Health
Current data reflects that cord blood cells stored for fifteen years have the same composition as they did at the time of storage. All science involving cryogenic storage of cells also indicates that the cells should remain viable indefinitely.
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Does Cord Blood Registry perform HLA typing on the cord blood samples?
No. CBR 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, your insurance provider would cover the costs of this test for both the donor and the recipient, which will determine if the sample is a match for the patient. The testing we do is performed to ensure sample safety, processing quality assurance, and sample viability.
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Will I receive confirmation that my baby's cord blood has been stored successfully?
When you provide CBR with your e-mail address, you will receive instant notification the moment your sample is received at our lab and you will also be contacted by phone the next business day after the sample has been processed. Your baby's Certificate of Deposit will arrive within two to three weeks for your records.
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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 barcode. When you enroll with Cord Blood Registry, your baby's collection kit is assigned a unique identifier (barcode), 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 barcode 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 and a hardcopy system.
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What federal or state guidelines or regulations do you follow?
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has issued regulations, and the States of New York, New Jersey and Maryland have mandatory licensing for cord blood banking. The stringent laboratory processes, record keeping, quality control and quality assurance of Cord Blood Registry are designed to meet all federal (FDA) and state guidelines and regulations. CBR is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks.
Click here for FDA Guidelines
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If my family ever needs the cord blood sample how do we retrieve it?
Should the need arise, Cord Blood Registry's 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.
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Have any of your cord blood samples been requested for use in transplant?
Yes. We have more experience providing cord blood samples for use in transplant than any other family bank. To date, Cord Blood Registry has provided over 71 samples for use in transplantation. In all cases, the stem cells proved viable for transplant - the ultimate validation of our collection, processing, and storage procedures. While most samples have been used for siblings, our samples have been used in two other notable transplants:
- Newborn to Mom. A newborn's cord blood stem cells were transplanted to her mother to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
- Newborn's Own Use. Cord Blood Registry facilitated a transplant for a child who was diagnosed with aplastic anemia at age two. His own cord blood stem cells were used in his transplant.
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