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Wisconsin Organ Donation Requirements for Newborns

When the subject of organ donation comes up, most people think in terms of adults filling out the donor section on their drivers license, but newborns may also be donors. In Wisconsin, newborn organ and tissue donations fall into three main categories, each with its own set of requirements.

  1. Cord Blood Donation

    • Cord blood is an important tool in fighting diseases like leukemia and cerebral palsy. Wisconsin statue 146.343(2) promotes cord blood donation. It requires health care providers to give donor information to their patients before the 35th week of pregnancy. It also states that recommended blood banks may not charge a fee to the woman, her insurance carrier or the hospital in which the baby is born.

    Well Baby Organ and Tissue Donation

    • If an otherwise healthy newborn dies from a sudden accident, his parents may donate his organs and tissues. Cartilage, corneas and skin, for example, may be harvested and either used within a few hours or stored in tissue banks. No matter the age of Wisconsin organ donors, they are protected by statute 146.71, which requires that they must first be declared brain dead. All brain activity, including that of the brain stem, must have stopped.

    Organ Donation with Anencephalic Infants

    • Infants born with anencephaly lack much of their brain, skull and scalp, yet they have a functioning brain stem. This means the child is not legally brain dead. Without artificial life support, death is certain within hours or days. Since the organs of anencephalic infants deteriorate quickly, most often they are unsuitable for transplant. According to the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), such organ donations are decided on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the weight of the baby, the organ to be donated, and the length of time from birth to death.

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