Life at 7 months pregnant may be looking a little… hectic. You are probably putting the final touches on the nursery, installing your baby’s car seat, and double-checking the contents of your hospital bag. So adding “learn about cord blood banking” to the to-do list might not sound super appealing.
But for some families, cord blood banking is an important part of their birth plan. Why do these families choose to bank? And what is “banking” anyway? We’re breaking down the basics and how you can learn more.
What is cord blood & why would I want to “bank” it?
Cord blood is blood from the baby that remains in the baby’s umbilical cord and placenta after birth. Some families choose to save their baby’s umbilical cord blood because of the stem cells it contains. Parents do this through what’s called “cord blood banking,” or sometimes called newborn stem cell banking or stem cell preservation.
Cord blood can currently be used in stem-cell transplants to help treat certain blood and immune disorders like leukemias and lymphomas, sickle cell anemia, and some immune system deficiencies. Clinical trials are also looking into the possibility of cord blood treating other conditions, like cerebral palsy and Type 1 diabetes, too.
Where is cord blood stored?
There are 2 main types of cord blood banks: public and private. If you decide to bank your baby’s cord blood, the type of bank you choose depends on your reasons for banking in the first place.
By storing your child’s blood with a private bank, you ensure the stem cells will be available only for your family. By donating to a public bank, you’re making the stem cells available to anyone who may need them for a donor transplant.
What’s the collection process like if I want to bank my baby’s cord blood?
Cord blood must be collected immediately after birth, as this is the only opportunity to do so before the umbilical cord and placenta are discarded.
The process of collecting cord blood:
- Is safe & painless for both baby and mom
- Can fit into any birth plan
- Can be done with delayed cord clamping
- Can be done after either a vaginal or a Cesarean birth
- Doesn’t interfere with bonding time with baby
Your care provider will insert a needle into the clamped umbilical cord and draw the blood out and into a special collection bag that will then be sent to the bank of your choice.
You can read more about cord blood banking, including the differences between public and private banks and the cord blood banking process, by checking out our free cord blood banking guide or reading these stories.
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