How To Bank Cord Blood
Donating cord blood to appropriate blood banks and participating hospitals is classified according to your purpose as the donor. You can bank cord blood as a public donation to be used by any transplant patient to non-profit cord blood banks. You can donate cord blood as a directed donation for a family member or close relative who needs a cord blood transplant. You can also donate cord blood in the form of a private donation for personal use later on in life when it becomes necessary.
Public donation of cord blood
Cord blood banking for a public donation can save the life of someone you are not related to. The process of banking cord blood is harmless and very simple. To ensure safe and quality cord blood banking, you need to cooperate with the bank by following a few safety measures including the following:
• Give a verbal and signed written consent to the bank before the collection of cord blood.
• If the collection becomes successful, a medical history of the donor should be provided to the banking staff. The information should include ethnic health background, the baby's health, and family medical history.
• Fill out and sign a Donor Declaration Form that asesses the risks of infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C, syphilis, HIV, and other harmful diseases.
• Undergo a blood test right after delivery and a few months later to identify the presence of infectious diseases, if there are any.
The accredited staff of the cord blood bank collects and stores the cord blood. The bank may contact you to reevaluate you and your child's health status if a transplant patient who matches your donated cord blood is found.
Directed donation of cord blood
While some cord blood banks or hospitals accept a directed cord blood donation for free, others offer the service for a specific amount of money. However, certain conditions should be met to guarantee good clinical practice for the procedure and to avoid wastage, dissatisfaction, and disappointment on both the both the donor and the recipient. These conditions are:
• The cord blood type should match that of the patient who needs the cord blood transplant. This can be determined during or after the delivery.
• If the collected cord blood unit is insufficient for the transplant patient, it can be supplemented by a bone marrow collection from the baby.
• The Institutional Ethics Committee should approve any procedure regarding cord blood collection, storage, and transplant.
• The whole procedure of cord blood banking should be undertaken the same way a public donation is performed.
Private donation of cord blood
Private cord blood banking is done when the donor wishes to save her baby's cord blood for personal use later on. It can be a safety measure especially if she has a potential risk of acquiring diseases such as leukemia, cancer, or immune system disorders.
Commercial “for profit” cord blood banks are available and are actively promoting private collection and storage of cord blood as insurance. They aim to provide treatments for diseases that you can acquire in the future that require a transplant or additional source of stem cells. These private cord blood banks charge payment for the collection, transplant, and storage every year.