1. What is the process once my child’s cord blood unit reaches your facility?

Upon receipt of your baby’s cord blood unit, a member of our Lab Team will conduct a battery of tests, including a viral screening on the mother’s blood. You will also receive written results from us in due course.

2. What testing is performed?

The maternal blood specimen collected by Cryoviva is tested for ABO grouping, Rh typing , Infection disease markers such as Syphilis, Hepatitis B&C, HIV. For Hepatitis B, C, and HIV, both serology and DNA levels are performed. Aliquot of maternal sample is also kept frozen for additional tests if required by physician at the time of transplantation. Not only maternal blood specimen is tested, each cord blood unit will also be tested for ABO grouping, Rh typing, volume collected, amount of total nucleated cells and CD 34 positive cells, percentage of viability of cells. Hemoglobin typing is also tested to detect any Thalassemia trait. The cord blood unit as well as stem cells extracted from the blood will also be tested for any bacteria or fungus contamination. All the tests are conducted at no extra costs.

3. Do you ever reject samples on the basis of maternal tests?

If there are abnormal results, you will be notified by Cryoviva and accordingly the decision whether or not to store the cord blood will be taken.

4. Do you test the cord blood for infectious disease markers?

The cord blood only undergoes microbial screening for contamination to make sure the cord blood is sterile before storage.

5. Do you test the cord blood for contamination by bacteria?

Yes, the cord blood is checked for contamination by bacteria to make sure that the cord blood is sterile.

6. Do you reject the collections that are contaminated?

We will inform you about the contamination of the sample and depending on the type of contamination, the decision to store or discard the cord blood unit will be taken with your consent.

7. Do you maintain a separate Quarantine tank for the long–term storage of stem cell units that have failed one or more tests, or are such units stored together regardless of the testing status?

We store stem cell units that have failed one or more tests in a separate tank.

8. How is the sample processed and stored

Cord blood is processed using a red blood cell depletion method to remove most of the red blood cells. Then, a cryoprotectant is added to the cord blood prior to freezing. Freezing is accomplished using a "controlled-rate freezer." This freezer gradually freezes the cord blood over a period of approximately one hour and also provides a record of the entire freezing process.

9. How is the sample processed and stored

After the freezing process has been completed, the cord blood stem cell unit is then stored in a special compartmentalized cryobag. The cryobag includes a 20ml and 5ml sample, three segments for testing and is over-wrapped for added protection. This cryobag is then placed in a protective cassette and placed at a temperature below -150 C in one of our liquid nitrogen storage tanks.

10. Do you store the cord blood stem cell units in liquid nitrogen or vapor nitrogen?

We store all cord blood stem cell units in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen as it ensures no transmission of disease from the surface of one container to another.

11. For how long can cord blood be stored?

To date, the longest cord blood unit successfully used in a transplant had been stored for from 21 to 23.5 years. Cryogenic storage indicates that cord blood stem cells, when frozen in vapor phase of liquid nitrogen below -150 degrees Celsius, could be stored and remain viable indefinitely. There is no evidence at present that [cord blood stem] cells stored at -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." - Guidelines for Collection, Processing and Storage of Cord Blood Stem Cells; New York State Department of Health

12. Will you send any documentation or reports about the cord blood?

We will send you a complete report within 2 weeks of processing and storage of the cord blood along with the certificate of storage.

13. How do I know that my sample will not be confused with someone else’s?

Your sample ID is ensured through a triple identification system: 1. The first is a unique identifier and barcode assigned to the cord blood unit. The same identifier always remains with your baby's unit paperwork and the sample. This is also cross checked with the second personnel in the lab. 2. The second is the storage location of your baby's unique sample and the information is stored in our computer system, which is backed up daily.