Compare the Q-Cup With Other Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Techniques

Study Summary

Currently there is no standardized method of collecting and transferring umbilical cord blood to laboratory vacuum tubes. Current methods are messy and may require needles to draw the blood presenting risk of blood exposure and percutaneous injury to obstetrical personnel. A safer, more efficient method of collecting cord blood is needed. The investigators propose to use the Q-Cup technology for collecting cord blood. The Q-Cup device is a two-piece injection molded blood collection and transfer device that enables safe and easy collection of blood from the newborn's umbilical cord and readily transfers the blood into a laboratory vacuum tube. The device consists of a collection cup with a wide opening to easily collect blood from the umbilical cord and a guide tube with a recessed needle which is attached to the collection cup. The operator is enabled to fill the required vacuum containing tubes in a clean, quick, efficient and safe manner by simply inserting the vacuum tube into the guide tube of the Q-Cup. As a result, there is less risk of blood exposure and percutaneous injury and blood is collected more efficiently. This device allows the practitioner to collect and transfer umbilical cord blood: without the need for removing the stopper from the vacuum tube (reducing mess and contamination) and without the need for a syringe and exposed needle (reducing injury and infection).

Primary Outcome

Anticipating the average lengths of cord blood collection with the standard method is 15 seconds and 30 seconds with the Q-cup, we needed 30 subjects total. 15 in the Q-cup arm of the study and 15 in the comparison group (for a two-sided two-sample t-test with 80% power, an alpha of 0.05, and a common standard deviation of 14 seconds). 30 participants were recruited into the study, however, the delivery providers were in charge of collecting this outcome.

Interventions

• DEVICE Q-cup