Baby Cord Blood Donation

The bank has over 22 000 cord blood units banked from mothers who have generously donated cord blood taken from the placenta and umbilical cord after the birth of a baby which otherwise would have been discarded.

Baby cord blood donation.

When you donate your baby s cord blood it s stored in a public bank where it s available to help any patient in need. Cord blood donation is completely safe for you and your baby. After a baby is born the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta cord blood is rich with lifesaving blood stem cells. Upon arriving at the hospital tell the labor and delivery nurse that you are donating umbilical cord blood.

Blood is collected from the umbilical cord not your baby immediately after birth. Cord blood contains blood forming stem cells which are potentially useful for treating diseases that require stem cell transplants such as certain kinds of. Cord blood contains stem cells that can grow into blood and immune system cells as well as other types of cells. From cord blood foundations to non profits and medical facilities there are numerous locations that will collect process and use the stem cells from your baby s cord blood and cord tissue to treat other people.

If you want the blood stored after the birth the doctor clamps the umbilical cord in two places about 10 inches apart and cuts the cord separating mother from baby. Why donate cord blood. Donation to a public cord blood bank is free. Cord blood is the stem cell rich blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth.

Donating cord blood to a public cord blood bank involves talking with your doctor or midwife about your decision to donate and then calling a cord blood bank if donation can be done at your hospital. Like bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell donation donated cord blood can also treat over 80 diseases and disorders. After a baby is born the umbilical cord is normally thrown away. Cord blood banking basically means collecting and storing the blood from within the umbilical cord the part of the placenta that delivers nutrients to a fetus after a baby is born.

Today cord blood is often used as a substitute for bone marrow in stem cell transplants. 16 000 of these are suitable for clinical transplant whilst the remainder are available for research into new cell therapies. We collect and store cord blood for future use by anyone in need of a stem cell transplant. Then she inserts a needle.

However this cord contains rich blood forming stem cells that can be used for a life saving stem cell transplant. There are over 80 diseases treated this way. Donating your baby s cord blood and cord tissue stem cells could make a life changing difference for another family in need. Donating cord blood to a public bank in the united states is free.

There are no costs for the collection or for storage of the cord blood. Your gift of your baby s umbilical cord can save a life.