Cord Blood Tests
Alternate Names : Cord Blood Test, Cord Blood Sampling
What do the test results mean?
The following tests may be performed on the cord blood:
Blood gases,
to evaluate the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the newborn baby
Cord pH
Respiratory status, including pH, pCO2, pO2. pH tells how the lungs are
functioning in using oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. pO2 and
pCO2 measure the pressure levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the baby.
Complete blood count, called
CBC
Platelet count, which is one measure of the blood's clotting ability
Blood type
Blood cultures for aerobic
and anaerobic
bacteria to rule out infection
Bilirubin
Blood glucose
Test results will be within a healthy range for some babies. For others,
abnormal results suggest certain health problems or other issues:
A low pH (less than 7.25) indicates high levels of acid in the infant's
bloodstream. This may occur if the mother or baby does not get enough
oxygen during labor. It may also happen if the umbilical cord becomes
compressed during delivery.
A positive blood culture
may show abnormal bacteria in the mother or infant.
A high blood glucose
level may be present if the mother has
diabetes.
If so, the baby may have a dramatic drop in his or her blood glucose level after
birth. This condition is called hypoglycemia.
A high bilirubin level can be a sign of several health issues,
such as:
jaundice
in the mother. This is a yellowing of the skin caused by too much of the liver
protein called bilirubin in the blood.
Rh incompatibility,
which is a problem with blood compatibility between the baby and the mother
Dubin-Johnson syndrome, a condition in which a collection of bilirubin in
the baby's liver cells causes jaundice
sulfa medicines taken by the mother during pregnancy
toxoplasmosis,
an infection that causes destructive lesions of the nervous system
rubella,
also known as German measles, a disease that may cause birth defects in
a baby if the mother had it during the first 2 to 3 months of pregnancy
hepatitis,
an inflammation in the baby's liver
cytomegalovirus,
known as CMV, an infection that may cause symptoms such as
fever,
lethargy, and loss of appetite
in the baby
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