Umbilical Cord Blood Banking & Donation
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT CORD BLOOD BANKING AND DONATION
Download the brochure below for more details about:
What is cord blood?
Umbilical cord blood is the blood that stays in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of your baby. It can be used to help treat diseases in children and adults.
How is cord blood used?
Stem cells from cord blood can be used to treat over 70 diseases in children and adults. Cord blood has been used to treat certain cancers, inherited diseases and diseases of the immune system.
How is cord blood collected?
After your baby is born, medical staff collects the cord blood and places it in a special container that is sent to the cord blood bank. The cord blood and mother’s blood are then processed and tested. If the mother’s blood shows the presence of any illness, the mother will be notified. If the cord blood bank determines the blood can be used, it is stored for future use.
Who benefits from cord blood?
Cord blood transplants can help blood relatives, extended family members, and non-related children and adults.
Are there risks with cord blood collection?
There are no risks to the mother or infant when cord blood is collected. Collecting the blood does not affect delivery or cause pain to the mother or infant.
Are cord blood and embryonic stem cells different?
Yes. Embryonic stem cells come from developing human or animal embryos. Cord blood stem cells do not involve the use of embryos.
Is there a demand for cord blood?
Yes. Thousands of people who could benefit from a cord blood transplant die every year waiting for treatment. There is an especially great need for more cord blood donations from ethnic and racial minorities.
What are the options for handling cord blood?
Options for those who want to donate cord blood:
- Donate to a public bank, where your donation is made available to others, much like blood banks.
- Save cord blood through a family banking program. It will be available for family members for a fee.
- Save it for a sibling with medical need.
- Donate it for research studies.
Is there a cost to donate or save cord blood?
There is no cost to donate cord blood to a public cord blood bank. There may be costs associated with family- or sibling-directed donor programs.
How do we decide whether to donate?
The decision to donate or save cord blood is a choice that only expectant parents can make. It is important for expectant parents to talk to their health care provider so that they have all the information they need to make the decision that is right for their family.