Cord Blood Donation - You Can Help Save Lives
Cord blood donation involves collecting blood from the placenta and umbilical cord after the birth of your baby and making it available for the use of anyone else who needs it. It is similar to blood donation and breastmilk donation and if you go through a public cord blood bank then it will cost you nothing to have the blood collected and stored until such a time as it is needed.
Donating cord blood is a very considerate and worthy thing to do. It could help save or prolong someone's life, or it could help scientists in their research. There is also the fact that in the future technology will be so much more advanced than it is presently and the stem cells extracted from your baby's umbilical cord may be used to help in ways that we cannot yet hazard any guesses at.
If you are interested in cord blood donation through a public agency, contact the NHS Cord Blood Bankafter your 30th week of pregnancy. They will forward you a collection kit which can be used by a qualified medical person after your baby is born. The kit will enable them to collect the blood from the umbilical cord and placenta. Your baby's cord blood will be stored safely until collection and it will then be stored indefinitely at a cord blood bank until a suitable recipient is found.
