Your baby's umbilical cord blood can give hope to a patient with diseases like leukemia, aplastic anemia and many other blood related diseases. The stem cells found in cord blood are being tested under research as a new method for treating patients' needs. Here are a few questions that you may have when considering umbilical cord blood storage, and some answers behind them.
Why would I donate for umbilical cord blood storage?
Each year thousands of people are diagnosed with life-threatening diseases that can be treated by rebuilding their blood-cell-producing system with stem cells. Umbilical cord blood is being studied as a great source of blood stem cells. Donating this cord blood is medically safe. This cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord after your baby is born. There is no change from the birth process for donation. The umbilical cord and placenta are usually thrown out anyways after the baby is born. Lastly, donating cord blood is free to you and completely confidential.
How can I help?
Stem cell transplants require specific matching of tissue traits in the donor and the patient. Because these traits are inherited, the patient is most likely someone from the same ethnic background. American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, African American, Hispanic, and Latino and other multiple-race patients face a greater challenge in finding matched donors or cord blood than Caucasian patients. If you are of one of these races, it would be very beneficial to donate cord blood. Even with more than 28,000 cord blood units listed as of July 2003, some patients are still unable to find exact matches because of the rarity of their tissue traits. When having a baby you can agree to give the blood for umbilical cord blood storage.
What are the chances of finding a match?
The National Marrow Donor Program is committed to serving its community. Through ongoing initiatives to increase the diversity of the cord blood listings, the NMDP cord blood banks are working to make awareness and recruit more cord blood donors in every community. The progression of the process has increased a great amount. From 2001 to 2003 the likelihood of finding a match cord blood unity has grown by at least twofold from all racial and ethnic backgrounds.
How do I donate?
Any woman at least 18-years-old, in generally good health, living in a community where there is cord blood donation, may be able to donate her baby's cord blood. If you would like to donate your baby's cord blood, look for a participating hospital near you. Because this study and process is still growing, not all hospitals are prepared to receive a donation at this time. Contact you cord blood bank before you deliver, ideally before the 34 th week of pregnancy. You will then have to complete a consent form agreeing to donate to umbilical cord blood storage , a maternal and family health history form to confirm that you meet health eligibility guidelines and also give a blood sample for infectious disease testing.
What happens after I donate?
After the umbilical cord blood is collected the cord blood is frozen and stored at a bank for future use. Doctors all over the world search in the National Marrow Donor Program Registry of donors and the cord blood units to find an exact match for the patient who needs a transplant. Donating for umbilical cord storage is free. Public cord blood banks cover the cost of processing and storing your baby's donated cord blood.
By Jessica Maughan