Cord blood, the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta following birth, is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells. These specialized cells can regenerate blood and immune systems, offering life-saving treatment for over 80 diseases, including leukemia and certain genetic disorders. Public cord blood banking involves donating this blood to a national inventory for any patient who is a match. In contrast, private banking reserves the sample exclusively for the donor family’s use. Donating to a public bank is a free process that ensures the sample is safe and viable for transplantation.
Determining Donor Eligibility and Enrollment
The first step in donating cord blood is an early enrollment process, which must be completed well before the anticipated delivery date. Public cord blood banks require parents to complete a detailed medical history questionnaire to assess eligibility, focusing on factors that could affect the quality or safety of the stem cells. This screening includes questions about the mother’s health, family medical history of genetic or infectious diseases, and recent travel.
This early registration is time-sensitive, with many banks requiring enrollment to be finalized by the 34th week of pregnancy to allow time for processing the paperwork and mailing a collection kit. Mothers must be at least 18 years old and provide full consent for the donation, acknowledging that the sample will be available for public use. Failure to complete this paperwork within the bank’s specific window often means the donation cannot proceed, as the bank needs to confirm the donor’s suitability before the birth.
Medical screening also includes a blood draw from the mother, either before or at the time of delivery, to test for infectious agents like HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. These tests ensure the donated cord blood unit is free of transmissible diseases. The rigorous eligibility standards maintain the quality of the public inventory, though a significant portion of potential donations are ultimately declined.
Finding a Registered Collection Site
A major logistical hurdle in public cord blood donation is that collection is not universally available at every hospital. Donation is only possible at hospitals that have established a formal partnership with a federally registered public cord blood bank. These partner hospitals employ staff trained specifically in the collection protocol and have the necessary infrastructure to handle the sample.
Expectant parents must confirm their chosen birthing facility is one of these registered collection sites, which can often be checked through national registries or the websites of major public cord blood banks. If a hospital is not partnered, the option to donate publicly is unavailable, as the bank cannot guarantee the quality and handling of the sample. Some public cord blood banks offer a mail-in program, but this typically requires a self-collection kit and strict adherence to specific transport guidelines.
It is necessary to confirm the hospital’s status soon after registering as a donor, allowing time to make alternative arrangements if the planned location is not a collection site. This logistical check must be completed well in advance of labor, as the hospital staff will need to be notified of the donation plan upon admission. Hospital participation must align before the actual collection can take place.
The Cord Blood Collection Procedure
The collection process itself is non-invasive and poses no risk or pain to the mother or the newborn. The procedure is performed by a trained healthcare professional, such as a nurse or technician, immediately after the baby is delivered and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The entire collection takes only a few minutes to complete, ensuring minimal disruption to the initial bonding time between the mother and infant.
The blood is collected from the section of the umbilical cord still attached to the placenta, either while the placenta remains inside the mother or after it has been delivered. A sterile needle is inserted into a vein in the umbilical cord, allowing the remaining blood to drain into a special collection bag containing an anticoagulant. The goal is to collect the largest volume of blood possible, as a higher volume correlates to a greater number of stem cells, increasing the likelihood of the unit being suitable for a transplant.
Once the collection is complete, the bag of cord blood and a set of maternal blood samples are placed into a specialized collection kit. This kit is then packaged and prepared for transport to the public cord blood bank, where it must arrive for processing within approximately 48 hours to preserve the viability of the stem cells. The bank will then process, test, and cryopreserve the unit, making the stem cells available on a national registry for any patient in need.