Specimen Required

Container/Tube:
Preferred: Sterile container with red lid designating for toxicology.
Acceptable: Sterile Container
Specimen Volume: 6- 8 inches of Umbilical Cord

Collection Instructions:

1. Immediately cut six inches of the umbilical cord. 
2. Pinch the specimen between the finger and thumb, then run your fingers down the specimen 3-4 times to drain excess blood. Discard any excess blood.
3. Rinse the exterior/outside of the specimen with normal saline or an equivalent rinsing solution. Important: Prevent the umbilical cord and specimen from coming in contact with ethanol-based liquids or vapors previous to and during the collection process. This includes ethanol-based hand sanitizer and alcohol prep pads.
4. Pat the specimen dry and place it in the specimen container.
5. Label container appropriately with patient identification, date of time of collection, & collector's initials.
6. Complete Chain of Custody form.