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About Umbilical Cord Blood Storage

Many parents choose to save their newborn baby's umbilical cord blood to donate it to research, or to potentially save a child or family member from a life-threatening disease in the future.

  1. Definition

    • Cord blood refers to blood harvested from a newborn's umbilical cord immediately after birth. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), this blood contains a rich source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, which have been used successfully to treat a variety of pediatric diseases, including certain cancers and immunodeficiencies.

    The Process

    • A pregnant woman (guided by her doctor) notifies a cord blood bank of her intent to donate 4 to 6 weeks before her due date. The bank supplies her with a kit that she must take to the hospital when it is time for her to deliver her baby. Immediately after the baby is born, a nurse collects the cord blood, and a representative from the bank takes it be tested, frozen and stored at a bank facility.

    Public Cord Blood Banks

    • Public banks receive donations of cord blood to be used in research and transplants for anyone in need of a match. Cord blood from an unrelated donor has been successfully transplanted. There is no cost for a family who wishes to donate their baby's cord blood.

    Private Cord Blood Banks

    • Private banks store the baby's cord blood for the future use of her family, if they should need it. Cord blood has been successfully used to treat the children who donate the blood, as well as their siblings. Registration and collection fees for private banks can range from $1,000 to $2,500, with a $100 to $200 annual fee.

    Misconceptions

    • According to the AAP, "most conditions that might be helped by cord blood stem cells already exist in the infant's cord blood." Even siblings' cord blood is not always useful in transplants to heal life-threatening illnesses. The AAP recommends cord blood donation to public banks for research, instead of private storage, and encourages parents to discuss their options with their doctor.

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