Umbilical Cord Blood Banking
More information about public cord blood banking
- Why publicly bank your baby´s umbilical cord blood?
- Your baby's umbilical cord blood could give hope to a patient with aplastic anemia, diabetes, sickle cell anemia or other diseases. The blood-forming cells found in cord blood are being studied under research protocols as a new method for treating patients in need.
- Each year thousands of patients are diagnosed with life-threatening diseases, such as leukemia, that can be treated by rebuilding the patient's hematopoietic (blood cell producing) system with blood-forming cells. Umbilical cord blood is being used as one of the sources of blood cells for treatment.
- Donating cord blood is medically safe. The cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord after your baby is born. Donation does not change the birth process. The umbilical cord and placenta are usually thrown away after a baby is born.
- Donating cord blood is free to you and completely confidential. Public cord blood banks cover the cost of processing and storing your baby's donated cord blood.
Cord Blood Donation is Different from Private Storage
- When you donate your baby's umbilical cord blood to a public bank such as the University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank (UCCBB):
- It is available to any patient in need of a transplant.
- If it does not meet the criteria for transplant, it may be used by researchers in the search for new and more effective medical uses for cord blood cells.
- It is not reserved for your family's private use.
- Please note: At this time, the University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank (UCCBB) only collects cord blood at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Denver Health and Exempla/St. Joseph Hospital. If you plan to give birth at one of the three hospitals, please discuss whether you would like to publicly bank your baby´s umbilical cord blood with UCCBB.
- You may also wish to instead privately bank your baby´s umbilical cord so that it is reserved for your family´s own use. There are a number of private banks that will store your baby´s cord blood and charge you a fee. You can discuss this issue with your doctor or visit a number of umbilical cord blood websites to learn more about private and public banking.