When you arrive in at the delivery suite or birth centre in labour, you should let your caregiver know you intend to donate your cord blood. If you are having an elective Caesarean birth, you should remind your caregiver when you are admitted to the hospital for the operation. You may already have an CBB sticker on your antenatal card or a signed consent form in your notes (or you may bring your signed consent form with you when in labour or admitted to hospital). You may wish to write your request for donation in a
birth plan.
The midwife may ask you a few questions to make sure you are suitable to donate. Again this includes finding out if you are healthy, have no fever, are not at risk of a carrying a viral infection (such as HIV or Hepatitis B or C) and have a baby that is healthy and over 36 weeks gestation. You may be asked to sign a consent form if you have not already done so, or the original consent form has been misplaced.
The labour and birth should proceed as usual. The cord blood can still be donated if the birth unfolds to involve
forceps,
ventouse or a Caesarean, as well as an uncomplicated vaginal birth. Either your midwife at the birth or a trained Cord Blood Collector will collect the cord blood. The Cord Blood Collector should introduce themselves before the baby is born, as they will probably need to enter the room soon after the birth to collect the blood. (Sometimes the placenta will be passed to the collector by the midwife after it is delivered and the collection process will be done outside of the birthing room).
The steps to collecting cord blood are as follows: