The midwife not only cares for the physical and mental health of the mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, but today, alongside scientific advancements in the medical field, she has gained a broader role, including in the process of cord blood collection from the newborn and storing cord blood stem cells.
Cord Blood Storage; A Forward-Looking Step for Family Health In recent years, the importance of cord blood storage as a rich source of stem cells has been well recognized in therapeutic fields. Cord blood stem cells have the ability to regenerate tissues, treat certain blood disorders, immune system deficiencies, cancers, and even some genetic diseases. Royan Cord Blood Bank, as one of the pioneers in this field in the country, is at the forefront of storing this valuable resource. However, this process is not limited to technology and laboratories; rather, at its starting point, in the delivery room, it depends on the cooperation and precision of the midwife.
The Role of the Midwife in the Cord Blood Collection Process During childbirth, when the baby is born and the umbilical cord has not yet been cut, there is a golden opportunity to collect cord blood. This stage requires precision, speed, and skill. The midwife, alongside the obstetrician, plays a key role in this process:
-
Awareness of the family's decision: The midwife is informed in advance that the family intends to store cord blood and must cooperate with the representative of the cord blood bank.
-
Creating suitable conditions for blood collection: After the baby's birth, the midwife holds the umbilical cord according to health and specialized guidelines to allow for optimal cord blood collection.
-
Maintaining sterile conditions: To prevent sample contamination, maintaining sterile conditions is absolutely essential. The midwife plays a vital role in this regard.
-
Coordination with the blood bank expert: In many hospitals, the midwife directly cooperates with the cord blood bank's collection team and facilitates the collection process precisely and professionally.
The Importance of the Midwife's Presence in Treatment and Prevention In addition to their key role in the cord blood collection process, midwives are one of the main pillars of prenatal care. From the first weeks of pregnancy, they are present with mothers, follow up on tests, provide necessary education on nutrition, mental health, preparation for childbirth, and even introduce cord blood storage. In fact, midwives are an effective bridge between the family and the healthcare system. Many mothers are introduced to the concept of "cord blood storage" for the first time through midwives. This indicates that raising awareness and encouraging families to utilize new medical capacities is also part of the professional responsibility of midwives.
What do the statistics say? According to reports published by Royan Cord Blood Bank, over 170,000 cord blood samples have been stored at this center, some of which have been used in the treatment of specific diseases. In more than 80% of cases, midwives have played a direct role in the success of sample collection. Furthermore, in hospitals where midwifery teams regularly cooperate with Royan Cord Blood Bank, the successful sample collection rate is higher than the national average. This indicates the importance of specialized training for midwives and their familiarity with international standards of this process.
Midwife, Support Beyond Childbirth Midwife's Day is an opportunity to appreciate those who not only accompany mothers during pregnancy and childbirth but also play a role in creating opportunities for the future health of newborns. The cord blood collection process is just one of the scientific-practical manifestations of this multi-layered role. Royan Cord Blood Bank, while commemorating Midwife's Day, believes that developing specialized training for midwives will lead to improved treatment processes and increased family participation in forward-looking programs such as stem cell storage.
Final Word On the occasion of Midwife's Day (May 5th), Royan Cord Blood Bank, while appreciating the efforts of all midwives in Iran, especially those who continuously cooperate in the cord blood collection process, declares that the expansion of this scientific-medical service would not have been possible without the support, dedication, and skill of midwives. If you are pregnant or about to have a child, we recommend consulting with your midwife or doctor about cord blood storage and obtaining the necessary information by visiting the website or representative offices of Royan Cord Blood Bank. A healthy future is built today, and midwives are the pioneers of this path.
Royan Cord Blood Bank Website: www.rsct.ir Contact Number: 021-27635000