Cord Blood Evaluation

CORD

Cord, Cord Blood Studies

• Cord Blood ABO (CABO),
• RH (CRH)
• Direct Antiglobulin (CDAT)

Cord Blood:  Nurse collects the Cord Blood in a 5.0 mL PINK Vacutainer. 
The cord blood specimen is labeled with the Mother's patient label and stored in the lab/bb refrigerator.  If/when the cord blood evaluation test is ordered on the infant, the RN will come to lab, retrieve the cord blood specimen, label with the Baby's Lab order Specimen Label, and present the specimen to the blood bank department for testing.
If no cord blood specimen is available, the alternative specimen is a EDTA (LAV) Microtainer from a heelstick.

EDTA (LAV) Microtainer from a heelstick.

24x7

ABO:  A, B, O, AB
RH:  Rh Negative, Rh Positive
DAT:  Negative

Cord blood specimens of all Rho(D) negative mothers are routinely sent to the Transfusion Service for evaluation. Occasionally, cord blood studies are requested on infants of group O mothers and in mothers with clinically significant, non Rho(D) antibodies. Routine cord blood studies are of little utility in detection of ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) and are not recommended.
There are three main purposes for newborn blood evaluations:

1. To detect the presence of a maternal antibody which has crossed the placenta and attached to the red cells of the infant. This could indicate a condition known as Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn, which may be due to:
   • Rho(D) antibodies.
   • ABO antibodies
   • Antibodies to antigens in the Rh system other than Rho(D), or to another red cell antigen family such as the Kell, Kidd, Duffy or MNSs systems.
2. To determine if the mother is a candidate for Rho(D) immunoglobulin by establishing the baby's Rho(D) status.
3. To perform a crossmatch if an exchange transfusion is indicated due to Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn, or if a red cell transfusion to replace blood volume is indicated.