The Stem Cell Collection, Preservation, and Storage Processes

Doing More to Make Placenta and Cord Blood Stem Cell Preservation Safe, Easy, and Convenient

At LifebankUSA™, we do more to make Placenta•Cord banking and cord blood preservation as simple, convenient, and reliable as possible for families. Our aim is to safely and easily guide parents through the placental and cord blood collection and preservation processes so they have more peace of mind knowing that their baby’s placental and cord blood stem cells are in good hands.

The entire collection process takes only five minutes. Using our cord blood stem cell and placenta collection kit, the doctor or other health care provider collects the cord blood in a designated collection bag. LifebankUSA also offers placental stem cell preservation and, when parents choose to bank these additional placental stem cells, the doctor or other health care provider will simply seal the intact placenta in a specific collection bag and place it in the collection kit for processing at LifebankUSA. After your baby is born, contact LifebankUSA and we will send a courier to pick up the collection kit from your hospital room. Then, we will take it to our accredited LifebankUSA facility where placental and cord blood stem cell preservation will occur.

Upon delivery to our facility, the cord blood stem cell and placenta collection kit is visually examined to ensure that it is intact and complete and the included paperwork is reviewed. In accordance with our stringent standard operating procedures, bar code numbers are attached to all the collected and processed materials to ensure proper identification. These bar codes are unique to each cord blood and placenta collection. The maternal blood samples, drawn at the time of delivery, are sent for transmissible disease testing.

The baby’s placenta and cord blood undergo a variety of procedures to ensure quality. They are tested to detect the presence of bacteria and fungal pathogens. A CD34+ cell count is taken to determine the quantity of these stem cells with hematopoietic proliferative capacity. This is important, as transplants with higher numbers of CD34+ cells have been associated with improved rates of successful engraftment. The placental and cord blood stem cells are also tested to determine viability and to confirm sterility. To isolate the stem cells, the red blood cells are separated from the white blood cells. After the placenta and cord blood are processed, the stem cells are preserved cryogenically in our state-of-the-art, nitrogen vapor–phase tanks. Finally, a certificate documenting the cord blood preservation is issued to the parents.

The Process for Releasing Stem Cell Units When Needed for Transplant Is as Simple as the LifebankUSA™ Enrollment Process… the Highlights Are As Follows:

The parent or transplant center calls LifebankUSA requesting that a stem cell unit(s) be released. LifebankUSA coordinates all logistical details with the transplant center, such as required testing and delivery date.
After signatures are obtained from the parents, LifebankUSA ships the stem cell unit(s) to the transplant center via a specialized medical courier. LifebankUSA uses liquid nitrogen dry shippers, which are designed to safely transport stem cell units at cryogenic temperatures. The dry shipper maintains the stem cell unit(s) at -190 degrees Celsius for 14 days.
After the transplant, LifebankUSA obtains results of the transplant from the transplant center. These results are given to LifebankUSA’s Quality Assurance so that they can follow up with the transplant patient.