Cord blood is the blood that remains in the placenta and placenta after your baby is born.
Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which can be used to treat various types of cancer, immunodeficiencies and genetic disorders.
After your baby is born, the placenta is usually discarded along with any placental blood.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are special “component” cells in the body that can develop into many different types of cells.
Blood-forming stem cells are found in umbilical cord blood and can develop into the type of blood cells the body needs when a person needs life-saving treatment.
They can be red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets.
About the donation
A safe process for you and your baby
The procedures we use to collect cord blood are safe and risk-free for both you and your baby.
This is because blood from the placenta collects:
After your baby is born; After cutting the cord and;
After delivery of the placenta.
Your donation is handled independently by our dedicated staff, so your midwife is completely free to care for you and your baby. Donating your cord blood does not interfere with your chosen birth plan, management of labor and delivery, or care for you or your baby.
Please note that if you have chosen late clamping as part of your birth plan, this may affect our chances of a successful union. However, in many cases we can still collect a viable amount of cord blood.
How will your cord blood be collected?
After your baby is born, your midwife will confirm that written or verbal consent has been given and give your placenta to our staff, along with your consent to collection form. Your placenta is then taken to a room dedicated to collecting placental blood in the delivery room.
The placenta is placed in a sterile support frame and the cord is cleaned with an alcohol wipe. A needle is then inserted into the bone and the blood flows naturally into the collection bag. We must collect at least 60ml of cord blood from a donation, but we can collect up to 150ml.
Who can donate?
To donate umbilical cord blood, you must be 17 years old.
Most people can donate cord blood. However, we must ensure that any donation is as safe as possible for the patient. That’s why we ask our cord blood donors a series of medical and lifestyle questions to ensure that each donation is suitable for transplantation.
Unfortunately, we are unable to collect cord blood if you are pregnant with twins or other multiple pregnancies. This is because the placenta will be smaller compared to a singleton birth and we will not be able to collect enough umbilical cord blood from the placenta to get enough from the donor for the transplant.
You can donate if you have become pregnant through IVF, even if you have used donor eggs and/or sperm, as long as the donor’s medical history is provided at the time of collection or shortly thereafter. Unless there is a medical reason for the midwife to keep your placenta, we can collect your umbilical cord blood if an elective or emergency caesarean section is required.
Registration and consent
Once you have registered your interest by completing our online form, we will confirm receipt of your inquiry. We will also send you more details about the donation process.
New legislation came into force in April 2007. The EU Tissue and Cell Directive states that consent must be obtained for the use and testing of your cord blood before your baby is born (even during active labour).
This ensures that you have enough time to ask us any questions you may have about the collection, testing and storage of your cord blood. We call this “informed” consent because we encourage you to make an informed decision about donating your cord blood.
Privacy
If you donate your cord blood, your name and your child’s name, address and date of birth will be added to our secure database, along with any test results related to your donation.
Research and development
Unfortunately, not all cord blood collections are successful. This may be due to a low volume of cord blood or clotting of the cord blood during the collection procedure. This in no way indicates that there is anything wrong with you or your baby.
If your cord blood is not suitable for transplant, it may be used for research and development (R&D), but only if you have given us consent to do so. If consent for research and development is not given and we are unable to use the cord blood, it will be discarded in accordance with standard hospital practice.
Public and private cord blood banks
When thinking about donating cord blood, it is important to understand the difference between NHS Cord Blood Banking and private facilities.
NHS Cord Blood Bank
We are a public card blood bank and do not charge you to collect, test or store your donation.
Your cord blood donations are available for public use and are not specifically reserved for individuals or their families.
If you or your family need a cord blood transplant, registries will be searched for the most appropriate stem cell unit with the best tissue match, regardless of origin.
It can be what you have donated to us. However, if your cord blood has already been given to another patient for transplantation, it will not be available for use.
Public Cord Blood Bank
A public donation is given as a purely altruistic act, solely for the benefit of others.
It has the potential to save the life of anyone for whom the device is a match, including the person who donated it.
For more information about cord blood banking options, the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has produced guidance for the public on all aspects of cord blood banking.
Private Cord Blood Bank
Private cord blood banks store only one unit for use by the donor or their family, and most private facilities allow donors to store their own cord blood.
This is done in the hope that if someone in their family becomes ill in the future with a disease that can be treated with stem cells, an exact matching device may be available to them.
Other private banks collect cord blood if a child develops a disease that can be treated with its own cord blood.
They charge an upfront collection fee for this service and usually an annual fee for continued cord blood storage.
