Facts about
cord blood banking
It is your choice to donate or bank your How is it collected? If I am able to donate, what baby's cord blood. Just like every other are my choices? After a baby is born and the cord is cut, a decision about the birth of your baby, you specially trained person or health care You have several options should ask for good information and a provider collects the blood from the cord regarding your baby’s cord chance to have your questions answered. and placenta. The birth of the baby is not blood. You may: This brochure is intended to give you interrupted or changed in any way. The some information to make that decision. • Have the blood discarded. process does not harm the baby or mother Feel free to discuss your options with in any way. • Donate to a public cord blood bank. These your healthcare provider. banks collect and store blood at no cost, and Are there any risks? the blood can be used for anyone in need There are no risks to the mother or baby to who is a good match.
collect cord blood. The cord blood is • Donate the blood for research. collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, so • Store blood in a private blood bank. Usually,
neither the mother nor the baby feel any cells are stored to treat the donor or the pain. Neither mother nor baby is harmed. donor’s family members if conditions are treatable through cord blood cells. There is a Am I able to donate? What is cord blood? fee to collect and store blood privately. The There are some health requirements for average collection fee ranges between Cord blood is the blood that is in the cord donation. Please talk with your healthcare $900 ‐$2000 with storage rates between and placenta after a baby is born. provider to determine if you are able to $75‐$100 per year. donate. How is it used? • If there is a sibling medical need, some banks provide free or low‐cost collection Cord blood contains special cells, called and storage. These are called sibling donor umbilical cord stem cells, that may help banks. There are private and public options treat numerous kinds of serious diseases for these types of banks. like sickle cell and blood cancers. These cells can also be used for research testing to determine if the cells can help with This brochure was developed using problems like brain damage, diabetes, information from the sites listed in the and heart disease. “Additional Resources” section. Thinking about it? Private storage options Cord Blood Registry (CBR) (888) 932‐2023 www.cordblood.com
ViaCord Cord Blood (866) 388‐3950 Banking www.viacord.com in North If you think you’d like to store or donate your Carolina baby’s cord blood, talk with your healthcare ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: provider or call your local hospital before your third trimester of pregnancy to see what is North Carolina Division of Public Health available in your community. www.ncpublichealth.com 919‐707‐5700 Public storage options National Marrow Donor Program Carolinas Cord Blood Bank 1‐800‐627‐7692 (919) 668‐1116 www.marrow.org/HELP (Click Donate Cord Blood) www.cancer.duke.edu/ccbb/cordblood.asp Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Banking • Duke University Hospital www.ParentsGuideCordBlood.org • Durham Regional Hospital • Rex Hospital American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology • University of North Carolina Hospitals www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/ • Wake Med of Cary bp172.cfm
• Womack Army Medical Center Bone Marrow & Cord Blood Donation and • Women's Hospital of Greensboro Transplantation http://bloodcell.transplant.hrsa.gov/CORD If you do not deliver your baby at one of the
NC hospitals listed above, you may call 919‐668‐1116 to obtain information about donating your baby's cord blood through the kit collection program at the Carolinas Cord
Blood Bank at Duke University. State of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health
www.ncdhhs.gov ● www.ncpublichealth.com
NC DHHS is an equal opportunity employer and provider. 12/09