title: Optimizing cord blood collections: Assessing the role of maternal and neonatal factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As processing and cryopreservation of cord blood is time consuming and costly, it is essential to select units with optimal CD34+ cells, total nucleated cell (TNC) number and colony forming units (CFUs). These are the most important factors affecting outcome of UCB transplantation and are influenced by various maternal and neonatal factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the maternal and neonatal factors affecting TNC and CD34+ cell counts in cord blood so as to aid in proper selection of cord blood units for cryopreservation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 100 UCB units were collected from normal vaginal deliveries, processed and assessed for volume, TNC, CD34+ cell count and CFU-GM. These parameters were then analyzed to find out whether they correlated with maternal and neonatal characteristics such as mother's age, parity, gestational age, baby's birth weight, and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The volume of CB collected significantly correlated with the TNC, CD34+ cell, and CFU-GM yields (P < 0.02). A heavier placenta (P < 0.05), and a heavier baby (P < 0.002) were associated with a significantly greater volume of CB whereas the age, parity of mother and the sex of the baby had no significant effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The only factors found to affect the TNC and CD34+ cell counts significantly were weight of the baby and placenta and the volume of cord blood collected. Since these factors are of prognostic significance, their analysis will aid in deciding which UCB unit should be processed and cryopreserved for UCB banking and subsequent transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, AFMC, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, AFMC, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Neerja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kushwaha
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, AFMC, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Tathagata
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine, AFMC, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv Singh
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mallhi
keywords: CD34+ cells; hematopoietic progenitor cells; hematopoietic progenitor cells transplantation; maternal and neonatal factors; total nucleated cells; umbilical cord blood