Our services

Determination of ABO blood group

Our ABO blood typing service is non-invasive and available alongside your umbilical cord blood storage package.

You can discover your baby’s blood type as part of our cord blood storage service, using their cord blood sample.

A mother and father’s genes play a significant role in their baby’s development; from growth in the womb, to blood type. From pregnancy through to their adult life, your child’s blood type is one of the most important pieces of genetic information to be aware of.

There are different reasons to find out your baby’s blood type. The most obvious reason involves medical treatments and

potential emergencies. If your child requires emergency medical treatment in the future, knowing their blood type can speed up the search for a suitable blood transfusion. Using the wrong blood type during transfusion can be fatal.

Determining the blood group from umbilical cord blood is a best way, because it does not cause any pain or discomfort for the child. Sometimes, very rarely, the test does not give a result. This can happen when the mother’s blood mixes with the blood of the placenta or the antigen expression of the child’s blood occurs.

As well as falling into the A, B, AB or O group, blood can contain a protein called the RhD antigen. This Rh factor determines whether your blood type is positive (+) or negative (-)[1].

So in total, there are 8 blood types:

• A RhD positive (A+)
• A RhD negative (A-)
• B RhD positive (B+)
• B RhD negative (B-)
• O RhD positive (O+)
• O RhD negative (O-)
• AB RhD positive (AB+)
• AB RhD negative (AB-)

A person with type 0 can donate blood to anyone, but can receive only type 0 blood.

A person with type A can donate blood to people with type A and AB, but can receive only type A and 0 blood.

A person with type B can donate blood to people with type B and AB, but can receive only type B and 0 blood.

A person with type AB can only donate blood to people with type AB, but can recieve any type of blood.

Blood groups were discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1901.

Outlook-  Newborn Screening Test

Every new parent wants a healthy future for their child and to give them the best possible start.

With newborn screening tests, your baby can be screened for a range of inherited conditions likely to develop within their first few months of life. Our Outlook newborn screening test gives you a clear picture of their predisposition to develop:

• Lactose intolerance
• Coeliac disease
• Bitter taste
• Medication-induced deafness

A newborn screening test is a simple and affordable way to gain peace of mind or – if your child is found to be at an increased/high risk of developing any of the above conditions – to prepare you for their possible medical and/or dietary requirements in the future.

Why test a newborn?

A newborn screening test is a simple and affordable way to gain peace of mind or – if your child is found to be at an increased/high risk of developing any of the above conditions – to prepare you for their possible medical and/or dietary requirements in the future.

How does the Outlook test work?

Outlook newborn screening is available in two different formats; as a mouth swab kit, or as part of your cord blood storage package.

Lactose intolerance

This is a common problem that can develop at any age, involving the digestion of lactose found in animal milks and dairy products. People with lactose intolerance are unable to break down two sugars called glucose and lactose, due to reduced production of the enzyme, lactase. This causes bacteria to develop in the digestive system.

Coeliac disease

Also known as gluten intolerance, coeliac disease is fairly common and can develop and be diagnosed at any age. It involves the small intestines becoming hypersensitive to gluten, causing inflammation and an inability to absorb important nutrients. This leads to digestive problems and a range of other symptoms. Trigger foods include wheat, barley and rye found in pasta, cakes, cereals, bread and some sauces.

Bitter taste

Bitter taste is caused by sensitivity to bitter-tasting compounds called glucosinolates, found in foods such as cabbage, broccoli, sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables. People who have this increased sensitivity are known as ‘tasters’. The presence of this trait can determine whether someone is likely to have an increased bitter taste response to certain foods than ‘non-tasters’.

Medication-induced deafness

A certain type of antibiotics – aminoglycosides – are known to cause damage to the inner ear. Some children carry a mitochondrial mutation that predisposes them to severe hearing loss after just one dose of these antibiotics. Screening for DNA variants of these four conditions can mean that, if symptoms develop, the condition can be diagnosed and treated faster.