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Why a Cord Blood Bank?
Cord Blood can save lives.
Cord Blood is extra and not needed by mother or baby. Cord
Blood collection is harmless to mother and baby. Cord Blood
can be stored long-term.
Cord Blood can be ready off the shelf to treat patients
without delay. |
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What is Cord Blood?
Cord blood is the remaining blood in the umbilical cord and
afterbirth when a baby is born. This is extra blood which is
discarded routinely and measures approximately one cupful. |
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Why is Cord Blood
Special?
Cord blood contains immature blood cells which grow and divide
into different types of blood cells. These seed cells are similar
to cells in the bone marrow and work in the same way as bone
marrow transplant. |
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Who needs Cord Blood?
People with cancer or leukaemia may require a bone marrow or
a cord blood transplant as part of their treatment. Many such
patients die because of delay or inability to find a suitable
bone marrow donor. |
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Is it Safe to Donate
Cord Blood?
You and your baby are our number one priority.
Blood from the umbilical cord and afterbirth is collected
by your midwife only after your baby has been delivered safely.
The collection is a painless procedure and there is no risk
to mother or baby. |
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The delivery of your
baby is not altered in any way to facilitate the collection
of Cord Blood |
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How can Cord Blood
Save a Life?
There are a number of tissue groups and special tests are required
to match cord blood with the patient. Once a matched cord blood
has been found it can be transfused into the patient just like
a normal blood transfusion. Cord Blood is frozen and it can
be stored in liquid nitrogen for many years. |
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What Tests are Done?
These are routine tests carried out on all blood donors in the
UK to avoid possible transmission of certain infectious diseases
to the patient. A list of tests is available on request. Cord
Blood is tested for tissue type and results are recorded on
a confidential computer registry. |
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