Cord Blood FAQ’s 

 

What is a cord blood transplant?  

A cord blood transplant uses cells collected from the blood in a newborn’s umbilical cord after the baby is born. The blood in the umbilical cord and placenta contains large numbers of blood-forming cells. The donated cord blood is tested, frozen and stored at a cord blood bank for future use. The stored cord blood is called a cord blood unit. These units can be searched via the international cord blood and bone marrow donor registries, (including Netcord) to find a suitable match for the patients who need a transplant to treat conditions such as haematological malignancy, bone marrow failure syndrome and congenital immunodeficiency.  Once selected, a cord blood unit can be made available to a transplant centre within a matter of days.  This is of obvious benefit to the patient who requires an urgent transplant and cannot wait the weeks or months that it can take to procure bone marrow from an acceptable donor. 

 

Where can I donate cord blood?  

If you are interested in donating cord blood you should talk to your obstetrician. The cord blood is collected in a maternity hospital and stored after freezing  at a Cord Blood Bank for potential future use. 

 

Are there any risks to donating cord blood?  

Donating cord blood poses no health risks to the mother or the baby, it is medically safe. The cord blood is collected after birth. If there are any complications during delivery, the cord blood will not be collected. 

 

How much does it cost to donate cord blood?  

There is no cost for donating. Unrelated donor cord blood banks will take care of the procedure and cover the cost of processing and storing the cord blood unit. 

 

Is cord blood donation confidential?  

The identity of the cord blood donor is kept confidential at the cord blood bank. There is no exchange of identifying information between a cord blood donor and cord blood transplant recipient.