Cord Blood Banking Basic 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How long can cord blood be stored in liquid nitrogen and remain viable for transplantation?
- Up to 5 years
- Up to 10 years
- Decades — potentially indefinitely with proper cryopreservation (Correct answer)
- No more than 2 years
Correct answer: Decades — potentially indefinitely with proper cryopreservation
Studies show cord blood stored at -196°C in liquid nitrogen remains viable for transplantation for at least 20–30 years, with no defined expiration.
Question 2: Which type of cord blood transplant generally carries a higher risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD)?
- Autologous (using the patient's own unit)
- Syngeneic (identical twin donor)
- Allogeneic (unrelated donor unit) (Correct answer)
- Haploidentical (half-matched family member)
Correct answer: Allogeneic (unrelated donor unit)
Unrelated allogeneic cord blood transplants carry higher GvHD risk because of greater HLA mismatch compared to matched related or autologous transplants.
Question 3: What is the primary advantage of cord blood over bone marrow as a stem cell source for transplantation?
- Higher stem cell dose per unit
- Greater tolerance of HLA mismatch without increased GvHD severity (Correct answer)
- Faster engraftment time
- Lower cost of collection and banking
Correct answer: Greater tolerance of HLA mismatch without increased GvHD severity
Cord blood T-cells are immunologically naïve, allowing successful transplants with 1–2 HLA mismatches that would be unacceptable with bone marrow.
Question 4: Which informed consent requirement applies when collecting cord blood for a public bank?
- Consent is optional if the hospital participates in a federally funded program
- The mother must provide written informed consent before or during labor (Correct answer)
- Consent is obtained from the infant's legal guardian after discharge
- Verbal consent during labor is sufficient and documentation is not required
Correct answer: The mother must provide written informed consent before or during labor
Written informed consent from the mother must be obtained before cord blood is collected for donation to a public bank, ideally before labor begins.
Question 5: What does HLA matching refer to in cord blood transplantation?
- Matching the blood type (ABO) of donor and recipient
- Matching human leukocyte antigen markers to reduce immune rejection (Correct answer)
- Confirming the unit's total nucleated cell count
- Verifying the cord blood bank's accreditation status
Correct answer: Matching human leukocyte antigen markers to reduce immune rejection
HLA (human leukocyte antigen) matching compares genetic markers on white blood cells to reduce the risk of the immune system rejecting the transplanted cells.
Question 6: A pregnant woman is considering banking her baby's cord blood privately. When should she ideally enroll with a private bank?
- At delivery, before the cord is cut
- During the third trimester (ideally by 28–34 weeks) (Correct answer)
- After the baby is born and discharged
- At any time before the child's second birthday
Correct answer: During the third trimester (ideally by 28–34 weeks)
Enrollment should be completed during the third trimester so collection kits are ready and consent, health history, and logistics are arranged before delivery.
Question 7: Which infectious disease screening test is NOT typically required for cord blood units donated to a public bank?
- HIV-1 and HIV-2
- Hepatitis B and C
- West Nile Virus
- Seasonal influenza (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Seasonal influenza
Seasonal influenza is not tested in cord blood screening; standard panels focus on blood-borne pathogens like HIV, hepatitis B/C, HTLV, CMV, and syphilis.
Cord Blood Banking Basic 3
How long can cord blood be stored in liquid nitrogen and remain viable for transplantation?