Cord Blood and Pregnancy

Cells with the capacity to transform into different cell types and renew themselves are called “stem cells”.

Different from the cells of organs like the liver, intestine and skin in our body, stem cells have two important characteristics. These cells can divide for long periods to renew themselves. Daughter cells obtained from these stem cells can differentiate into more than one type of cell types. For example, a stem cell can, under suitable conditions, be stimulated to transform into cells with special functions such as heart muscle cells and insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Cells with the capacity to form all blood cells and immune system cells in human beings are referred to as “hematopoeitic stem cells”. Stem cells are commonly used today for treatment purposes in various cancers, mainly in cancers resulting from problems in the blood or bone marrow, bone marrow and immune system deficiencies. Use of stem cells in the treatment of various diseases such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, diabetes, multiple sclerosis is still being researched.

Sources of hematopoietic stem cells are bone marrow, blood in body circulation and umbilical cord blood.

Umbilical cord blood circulates in the umbilical cord which transfers gas and nutritions from the mother to the fetus and waste materials from the fetus to the mother while the fetus is developing in the mother’s womb and ensures the connection between the placenta and the fetus.

The pregnant woman must contact the umbilical cord blood bank she prefers about 3 weeks before the expected birth and make the necessary arrangements in order to be able receive the umbilical cord blood. In this way, availability of the required equipment and people during the delivery is ensured. Umbilical cord blood is received either by the doctor performing the delivery or the doctor at the umbilical cord blood bank. The doctor performing the delivery makes the selection. The method of delivery – vaginal or abdominal delivery- does not change the procedure.

The umbilical cord is clamped right after the baby is born and then the umbilical cord is cut. The blood in the placenta that remains is drawn by the doctor with a special blood drawing set to the plastic bag at the end of the set. The blood must be drawn before the placenta is discharged from the uterus. The plastic bad should kept beneath the placenta so that the blood can be easily drawn with the help of gravity. No damage or pain is given neither to the mother nor the baby due to this procedure. The whole procedure lasts 3-4 minutes. The more blood is collected the more stem cells will be collected. The blood collected must be transported to the laboratory in maximum 24 hours after it has been put into its special container and the necessary heat control is ensured. The responsibility to transfer the umbilical cord blood to the laboratory and ensure its safety lies in the umbilical cord blood bank official.

The umbilical cord blood preservation period stipulated in Turkey for now is 15 years. Ministry of Health stipulates 15 years because scientific data published so far stipulates a preservation period of 15 years.