Cord blood is blood that is collected from the umbilical cord and the placenta soon after a baby is born. It contains stem cells that are similar to those found in bone marrow. Cord blood can be used to treat patients who have had chemotherapy or who have certain blood or immune diseases. The blood can also be saved in a private bank, in case the infant needs it later in life. Otherwise, it can be donated anonymously to a public bank, where it can be given to anyone who needs it.
Step 1
Determine whether you want to donate the cord blood to a public bank or store it in a medical bank. If you want to donate the blood to a public bank, make sure that your hospital accepts donation of cord blood. (The National Marrow Donor Program has a list of hospitals that work with public cord blood banks.) The National Marrow Donor Program notes that private banks allow for the storage of cord blood in the event that the child needs the stem cells later in life. These institutions typically charge a one-time fee for storing the cord blood, as well as an annual fee for continuing to store the blood. Public repositories, on the other hand, accept donations for free. The cord blood is then used for patients who need bone marrow transplants or for research. Once cord blood is donated to these public banks, it is stored anonymously, so it cannot be retrieved to treat the original donor; however, the parents can know that the cord blood is being put to good use.
Step 2
Contact the cord blood bank and make sure that you qualify to donate cord blood. According to the Parents Guide to Cord Blood, regardless of whether you are donating to a public or a private bank, you will need to meet with one of the bank's representatives to learn more about the donation process. Both kinds of banks (public and private) will also require you to fill out a questionnaire about your health as well as the health of your family. Future visits will also be required to screen the mother for infectious diseases (since these can contaminate the stored blood) as well as to set up the donation. Public banks require that the parent sign a consent form, which authorizes the bank to store and use the blood as the bank sees fit. Private banks will need the parent to sign a contract as well as to pay the bank to collect and store the cord blood sample.
Step 3
Inform your labor and delivery team that you are planning to save your cord blood, as well as where you are having the blood stored. Your cord blood bank should contact the hospital to coordinate the collection and storage of the blood, but tell the hospital in advance or, at the very least, let your team know the day of your delivery.
