Cord blood is an excellent source of stem cells and can be used as a supplementary source for bone marrow blood transplantation needs of a patient.

A lot of research and survey have been done, mainly in the United Kingdom to measure, analyze and record the umbilical cord blood gas values in various hospitals. The cord blood gas values analyzed have provided a wealth of information in the study of usefulness of umbilical cord blood.

One such study was also conducted in Long Island, United States, too, which was done essentially to analyze and find out if there were any differences in the cord blood gas values between newly born babies with and without true knots in their umbilical cord.

This research has been conducted by collecting the cord blood from the umbilical cord cut from the babies within a few minutes of their being born. This test was conducted across hundreds of babies, so as to define a pattern on the results researched.

The research involved testing arterial and venous cord blood gas values separately and concluded that there is not a significant difference in the cord blood gas values due to the presence or absence of true umbilical cord knots.

Testing for Cord blood gas values will normally be performed separately with samples from both arterial and venous cord blood samples.

Test is done two times on arterial as well as venous blood samples essentially due to the fact that the sample from venous cord blood has a higher pH value.

While drawing cord blood for the testing of gas values, a lot of care has to be taken. If the blood gets clotted or if it contains air bubbles or if any anticoagulant other than sodium or lithium heparin is used in the syringe, the sample cannot be used for testing, as it will not provide accurate results.

The cord blood thus collected for testing gas values should be stored carefully in temperatures ranging from two to eight degrees Celsius and should be transported to the lab within quarter hour.

Cord blood can be collected in special plastic bags or containers meant to store blood samples, and this has to be collected immediately after the umbilical cord is cut.

Cord blood gas values are then recorded by the hospitals specialized in performing this research on the cord blood gas. Such tests also indicate that the need of cord blood is more and more felt by hospitals across the world.