C-Sections and Cord Blood Banking
                     C-SECTIONS AND CORD BLOOD 
BANKING
C Section:
 You need to prepare yourself 
mentally to be able to go 
through the pregnancy, 
labour and delivery 
experiences as stress-free as 
possible.
 As your due date comes 
closer, your doctor has 
probably broached the 
subject of possible birthing 
options that are available to 
you. If you have basically had 
an uncomplicated pregnancy 
then a vaginal birth is 
definitely on the cards. 
However, C-section is also 
something that you must 
have talked about during 
your pre-natal visits.
C Section:
 If elective C-section has 
already been decided then 
banking the cord blood and 
the tissue at the time of birth 
is really simple. All 
preparation towards the 
collection of the sample can 
be made prior to the birth. 
 A phlebotomist from the cord 
blood organization will be 
present during the surgery 
along with the collection kit. 
If the representative is not 
able to make it, then a nurse 
of even the doctor can collect 
the sample and temporarily 
store it in the collection kit 
that you are meant to carry 
with you to the birthing 
center.
Cord Blood Banking
 If cord blood banking is 
something that you have 
decided to invest in, having 
an unplanned C-section 
might actually have some 
impact on the process.
 A major surgery that is 
performed under sterile 
conditions, it is only the 
doctor in question that can 
approve what can or cannot 
be a part of the operational 
area as concerns about 
infection are on top of their 
priority list.
Cord Blood Banking
 Contrary to what you may 
think, it’s not a completely 
hopeless scenario and cord 
blood collection can still 
happen even for unplanned 
Cesareans. 
 Most private cord blood banks 
manufacture their collection 
kits keeping in mind about 
meeting the sterility 
parameter in the operating 
room. Similar to any surgical 
instruments, the collection 
bag – both inside and outside 
should be FDA sanctioned for 
usage in a clinical area.
Collection Process
 In comparison to a vaginal 
birth, there is a slight 
modification in the collection 
procedure for a Cesarean. 
Collection of the sample can 
only start once the 
gynecologist executing the 
surgery has completed the 
process and has additionally 
finished off with sealing the 
uterus. 
 The surgeon should also have 
taken care of any other 
medical trepidation of the 
mother and the baby before 
progressing towards collecting 
the cord blood sample.
Collection Process
 There is a deferment involved in 
the collection process than a 
vaginal birth where action is more 
immediate. Hence, the cord tends 
to yield less amount of blood.
 It may not be what you desire but 
having a C-section is a very real 
possibility for every pregnant 
woman today. For certain 
complicated pregnancies, it can 
actually be a lifesaving action for 
either a mother or the child. 
Since protection is what we are 
seeking, banking your child’s cord 
blood and tissue is the next 
rational move towards ensuring a 
healthy future for your baby and 
the family.
References:
 https://www.cordlifeindia.com/blog/c-s
ections-cord-blood-banking-need-kno
w/
 http://www.parentguide.ca/blog/2015/
05/c-sections-and-cord-blood-is-it-
one-or-the-other/
 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
12566747