What You Need To Know About Cord Blood Donation

Stem cells save lives. But did you know they come from places other than bone marrow? Umbilical cord blood (also known simply as cord blood) contains stem cells as well. Which means your birth care plan can include saving the lives of others.

What Is Cord Blood?

Cord blood is the blood left over in your baby’s umbilical cord after it has been cut. This blood is particularly rich in red and white blood cells, platelets, and plasma.

How Is It Collected?

The collection process begins after you give birth. Unlike collecting bone marrow, cord blood collection is noninvasive and causes no pain to you or your baby.

After you give birth, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut by medical professionals. If you choose to donate your cord blood, a second clamp will be placed about 8 – 10 inches from the original clamp. Your OB/GYN then inserts a needle into the cord between the two clamps and begins to draw the blood, collecting it in a specimen bag to later be analyzed and stored.

What Is Cord Blood Used For?

Similar to bone marrow, umbilical cord blood is used in transplantation. Its main uses are for treating cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, immune and genetic disorders, and nearly 80 other diseases — including heart disease and kidney disease.

Three Benefits of Cord Blood Donation

Now that you know the basics, here are some of the benefits of cord blood donation.

1. As mentioned previously, cord blood collection is noninvasive to the donor. Which means it doesn’t interfere with your birth plan, either. You can help save lives without pain or inconvenience.
2. The public donation process doesn’t cost you any money. Simply express your interest in the process with your provider during your pregnancy.
3. Cord blood cells are more adaptable than those of blood marrow. Transplantation doesn’t require an exact match from donor to recipient. Since the baby’s immune system is less developed, it is less likely that the cells will react negatively against the recipient’s immune system.
4. Racial and ethnic minority populations are underserved in bone marrow transplantation due to lack of available matches. Since cord blood doesn’t have the same match restrictions, the more diverse cord blood donated, the more people can benefit from stem cells.
5. Cord blood donation presents new treatment options for those who didn’t have prior access.

Currently, about 96 percent of cord blood is still discarded as medical waste.¹ Consider donating yours today to preserve stem cells and help promote the health of our community.

Source
¹Dahm, L. (2019). CHER study assesses umbilical cord blood banking by American Indian parents. The Northern Arizona University Review. https://news.nau.edu/cord-blood-research