If you will soon be having a baby you may be able to give life to two people:
- your newborn child
- another child or adult who has a life-threatening disease
Your baby's umbilical cord and placenta, which are normally discarded after birth, contain blood stem cells. These cells can be transplanted into a patient to save his or her life.
How to Donate Cord Blood
If you would like to donate your baby's cord blood to a public cord blood bank to help a person who is ill:
- Discuss donation with your doctor between your 28th and 34th week of pregnancy
- View the medical guidelines for donating your baby's cord blood
- Check the list of U.S. hospitals that collect cord blood for public use to see if yours is included
Donating umbilical cord blood is safe for you and your baby.
- The cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta after your child is born.
- Neither you, nor your baby, will be given any medications or undergo any invasive medical procedure to collect the cord blood.
Storing Cord Blood for Private Use
Some parents choose to store their baby's umbilical cord blood for private use. Keep in mind that:
- it's very unlikely that your baby will ever need the stored cord blood
- if your child develops a blood disorder, like leukemia, and needs a transplant, the preferred source of stem cells will be from a healthy donor, not your baby's own cord blood
If you choose to bank your baby's cord blood privately, you should carefully consider the qualifications of the cord blood bank. The Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation lists information about cord blood banks worldwide and suggests questions to ask a bank before storing your baby's cord blood.
More information about donating or storing cord blood for personal use can be found at the Cord Blood Association.
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Updated June 2024
