Cord Blood Donation

Your baby can save lives just minutes after being born with cord blood! Cord blood is the blood that is left in the baby’s placenta and umbilical cord after birth and is chock-full of unique skin cells that can treat many diseases. What makes these cells so special is their ability to morph and grow into different types of blood cells that can have a hand in treating serious conditions like leukemia, genetic disorders, and even some forms of cancer.

Cord blood stem cells are easy to collect and can be given to more people when compared to a typical bone marrow donation. The umbilical blood can even be stored safely for future use in cord blood banks. There are two different types of these banks: public and private cord blood banks.

Public Cord Blood Banks

Donating cord blood to a public bank increases their supply and the likelihood of helping others find a potential match.

- Accept donations to be used for anyone in need.
- There is no charge for donating fetal blood.
- Donor families may not have access to the blood that they have donated.

Private Cord Blood Banks

Private cord blood banks are used primarily by families for personal use. This may be a good option for those who do not know their medical background. (For instance, an adopted parent or a child conceived by an egg or sperm donor.)

- Store cord blood to be used by the donor or a relative in the future.
- There is a fee (typically $1,000-$2,000) to harvest and store this blood.
- The benefits of cord blood are that it may be used in the treatment of blood disorders, cancers, or genetic disorders.