1 Enquiring

  • Make an enquiry with Biocell through this website or on 1800 071 075.
  • A client advisor and/or Biocell Midwife will contact you.
  • You become familiar with Biocell’s services.
  • You decide to proceed with registration.


2 Download and complete the Biocell paperwork

The Biocell Cord Blood Processing and Storage Agreement can be downloaded by clicking here. It consists of six sections:
  • The Preamble, which explains the Agreement.
  • The Application Form, which you will need to complete and sign.
  • The Biocell Cord Banking Contract, which we recommend you read thoroughly before signing.
  • The Consent Form, in which you grant consent for the collection of your baby’s cord blood and for a sample of your own blood. Your obstetrician/midwife will also need to sign this if they agree to collect the cord blood.
  • Payment Plan and Authorisation, in which you nominate your payment plan and method of payment.
  • It is recommended that you complete and return the Agreement to us before 34 weeks gestation. This gives us time to send a collection kit to you and may avoid disappointment of missing a collection altogether.

3 The Collection Kit

  • The Collection Kit is sent to your home.
  • It contains everything needed to perform the cord blood collection.
  • The Kit should be kept indoors, out of direct sunlight. It does not need to be kept in an air-conditioned room.
  • It contains a ‘time and temperature data logger’ which records the internal temperature of the kit.
  • If your kit does not arrive within the timeframe discussed with our Client Adviser, call BioCell on 1800 071 075.

4 Collection & Transport

  • The Collection Kit should be taken to hospital with you – make sure to notify the midwife that you are having a cord blood collection when you check into hospital.
  • Your doctor or midwife collects the cord blood immediately after the birth of your baby – we will have contacted them beforehand to ensure that they are fully trained in the collection technique.
  • Alternatively we will arrange a Biocell collector to perform the collection.
  • Don’t forget, we will also collect a blood sample from you, the mother. Ask the doctor who inserts your I/V line to do this.
  • After the birth, you or your partner should call Biocell so that we can arrange for the Kit to be picked up by our courier.
  • The courier will then transport the cord blood unit to our processing laboratory at Sydney Adventist Hospital.
  • Our courier system is organised to ensure that your baby’s cord blood arrives at our laboratory within 36 hours. The cord blood should be kept at room temperature during this time – we have placed special temperature control bricks in the Collection Kit to ensure that the temperature is controlled during transport, and there is a data logger in the kit that monitors the temperature at all times.
  • We will contact you to inform you that the baby’s cord blood unit has arrived at the laboratory

5 Laboratory processing and testing

  • The cord blood unit is tested to ensure it is appropriate for storage.
  • The mother’s blood tested for various infectious diseases.
  • The stem cells are prepared for cryogenic storage.
  • The stem cell unit is cryogenically frozen.
  • The stem cell unit is kept in quarantine storage until results of tests are available and approved by our Medical Director.
  • You will receive a written report telling you the collection and storage volumes.

6 Long term storage

  • We will send you regular updates on stem cell technology and other important information.
  • On these occasions we ask you to check that your contact details are up to date.
  • We ask you to pay the annual storage fee on the due date if you have chosen a payment plan that includes an annual storage fee.
  • At 18 years of age the contract between Biocell and you expires. Your adult child will now decide whether he/she wishes to continue to use Biocell’s services.

7 If you ask us to release the stem cells

  • Notify Biocell of your intention to use the stem cell product.
  • Biocell will ask you to complete the necessary release authority.
  • Biocell will liaise with your nominated doctor / laboratory regarding transportation of the stem cell unit.
  • Charges may be applicable at that time.