January 22nd, 2012 | 
Author: As medical science continues to advance, researchers are studying the possible uses for umbilical cord blood. It is currently used for those suffering from defects in their blood cells and more research is showing that it may soon be used to treat some degenerative diseases. Any woman contemplating cord blood donation should first be aware of several important facts.
The umbilical cord consists of blood vessels connecting the unborn baby to the mother’s placenta. Before the child is born, the umbilical cord allows life-giving oxygen and nutrients to pass from the mother’s blood stream to the fetus’s circulation. Of course, after birth, the cord is clamped and cut, and the remaining cord eventually falls off from the baby’s navel.
Recently, many families have begun studying the possibilities of saving or donating their child’s cord blood. Some choose to store the blood in a family bank, thereby giving the child access in later years to his own blood should he need it for a medical procedure. This can be an expensive procedure. However, donating the blood to a public bank can provide another person with the chance for renewed life.
One of the main organizations that provides information on cord blood donation is the National Marrow Donor Program. They recommend that women decide by at least the thirty-fourth week of pregnancy as to whether or not they would like to donate. However, last minute requests can occasionally be granted. The expectant mother should contact her local cord blood bank or a participating network blood bank, which can be found on the Donor Program’s website. Of course, donation to a public bank is completely free since all costs are covered by the blood bank. The collection is done immediately following the delivery of the baby. Confidential information about the mother or baby is never shared with other patients or the public.
Participating in cord blood donation with a public bank is a way for a mother to give life and hope to another individual. Since donating to a public bank is free and the procedure does not interfere with the normal labor and delivery process at all, the decision can be a simple one. Pregnant women who are interested in this procedure should investigate more at the National Marrow Donor Program’s website and by discussing it with their obstetricians.
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