Donating Umbilical Cord Blood

Cells in the umbilical cord and placenta, which are discarded after birth, contain blood stem cells that can be used for transplant.

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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:

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. However, keep in mind:

  • it's very unlikely that your baby will need the stored cord blood during the first 20 years of life 
  • 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. It also provides information about fees charged by the banks to collect and store the cord blood.

More information about donating or storing cord blood for personal use can be found at the Cord Blood Association and Be The Match®.

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Updated August 2023

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