Donate cord blood
Why?
Donating your baby´s cord blood is safe and painless for both you and your baby and it has no cost for you. If you don´t donate your baby´s umbilical cord blood, it will simply be discarded. After your baby´s birth, approximately 90 ml (three ounces) of cord blood can be obtained from the placenta and umbilical blood and this blood is rich in stem cells. These stem cells can be frozen for use later either by your baby (autologous) or by someone else (allogeneic). Currently, the most common use for cord blood is as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation for blood cancers such as leukemia. However, scientists are finding that the stem cells in cord blood may potentially be used for other diseases such as diabetes, stroke or myocardial infarction.
How?
Before a baby is born, he receives his nutrients from mom through the placenta that is attached to the baby by the umbilical cord. A unit of cord blood is made by milking the blood from the placenta and umbilical cord blood after the baby is safely born and the umbilical cord is cut. Making a unit of cord blood is safe to both baby and mom. Approximately three ounces of cord blood rich in stem cells can be obtained. These stem cells will be frozen for later use either by the baby (autologous) or by someone else (allogeneic). From a medical standpoint, the primary use of allogeneic stem cells makes sense primarily because of the widespread availability of allogeneic versus autologous cells. Facilities that store the cord blood units for later use are called cord blood banks. Currently, the most common use for cord blood is as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation for blood cancers such as leukemia. However, scientists are finding that the stem cells in cord blood may potentially be used for other diseases such as diabetes, stroke or myocardial infarction.
Where?
Talk to your physician or midwife about your wish to donate your baby´s cord blood. They will find a suitable cord blood bank to take care of the umbilical cord blood.