Saving a baby's cord blood is an option every parent has but the decision has to be made before the baby is born. Banked blood can be saved for the future use by the family to treat health conditions, such as childhood cancers, or it can be donated to a research or public bank. Public banks may specify that donations will only be used for research or for donation to patients who have medical problems that can benefit from stem cell treatment. The hardest part of the process is deciding whether or not to bank the cord blood and where it will be stored. Once the decision is made, the hospital does the rest of the work, which includes the capturing of the cord blood, storage and transport to the storage facility.
Step 1
Decide whether the cord blood will be saved for future use by your family or if you will be donating it to a public bank.
Step 2
Research public or private banks depending on the purpose of banking the cord blood. Family banks charge a fee, often monthly, for storing the cord blood stem cells. Donating to a public bank is usually free for you. The website CordBloodBank explains that Cord Blood Registry is the world's largest and most experienced cord blood bank. The website ParentsGuideCordBlood offers resources for choosing the bank that meets your needs. Consult the hospital where you plan to deliver your baby for other recommendations.
Step 3
Discuss your decision with your health care provider and your insurance carrier. Many hospitals and practitioners will ask you to prepare paperwork before the baby is delivered. Be sure to ask what the fees will be for collecting the cord blood. Most medical facilities and professionals will charge you for collection and storage until the cord blood is transported. When donating the cord blood, you may be able to ask the facility and health professional to donate their services.
Step 4
Make contact with the cord blood bank you have selected. They will provide you with information, such as papers to sign and even a collection kit. Some hospitals may have a partnership with a specific bank and the collection kit will already be at the facility. Be sure to clarify what you need to do to ensure the collection kit is available when you arrive to deliver your baby.
Step 5
Rest assured that your role in collecting your baby's cord blood has been fulfilled once the papers have been signed, the collection kit is with you at the time of delivery and the storage location has been selected. Your next task is just to deliver your baby and pay any monthly storage fees that are applicable to the bank you chose. Your doctor will fulfill the cord blood collection once the baby has been delivered.
