After a baby is born, the health care provider or doctor has just 15 minutes or so to clamp and cut the cord and then collect the cord blood.
After that, the cord essentially automatically clamps itself off by being exposed to the air.
The blood can be collected in two different ways.
In the bag method, the doctor attaches a bag like the ones used to attach an IV to the end of the cord that was cut-and elevates the cord to allow the blood to drain into the bag.
In the other method, the doctor inserts a syringe into the cord and draws out the blood, similar to how blood is drawn from a vein.
Cord blood is obtained after the cord has been cut, separating baby from mother. At my hospital, the doctor then collects the blood left in the umbilical cord still connected to the placenta in a small vial for sampling and identifying baby's blood type.
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