Cells4Life Collection Kit

Please refer to our Consent Booklet for details as to how the service progresses  and legislation pages for information on the documentation we required before a Collection Kit can be dispatched (click here to request a Welcome Pack, Consent and Agreement).

Once all required documentation is in place, a Cells4Life Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Kit (or +Cord kit) is usually sent by special delivery to your given address. We can arrange for this to be hand carried to your location, but there are additional fees associated with this service. Please note that in the case of emergency kit dispatches, we ask for the agreement to be signed and returned in the box with the cord blood, and will only issue these if we can assure ourselves of the legality of the procurement in advance.

All the necessary contents for collection of the umbilical cord blood, including pictorial instructions are contained within the tamper evident packaging inside the Cells4Life Collection Kit box. Please remember to take the Collection Kit with you when you go into hospital. Please do not open the packaging until it is required for use

The contents of the umbilical cord blood collection kit are:

• Cord blood collection bag (two of in case of ma lfunction or emergency)
• Gauze swabs
• Chlorhexidine swabs to sterilise needle insertion point
• Tube clamp
• Cord blood packaging (To IATA specification)
• Ancillary items for procurement
• Maternal blood sample kit
• +Cord collection items where specified

It is important that the maternal sample is taken and returned with the cord blood sample as the testing that is done is required by law to determine if there are any viral infectious agents present that could transfer across the placenta into the umbilical cord blood. This affects whether the sample can be used in the future. If it is not possible to obtain a sample of the maternal blood at the time of the cord blood procurement please ensure that this is taken within 7 days of the birth date and sent to us.