A joyous event for you could become the same for someone in need. In
the past, when a baby was born, the umbilical cord was thrown away. But
today, blood from the umbilical cord can be collected after your baby's
birth and donated to a public cord blood bank to help someone with a
life-threatening disease.
Donating is a simple thing, receiving can be everything:If you
choose to donate umbilical cord blood, your labor and delivery are not
affected. No blood is taken from your baby, only from the umbilical
cord itself after your baby is born.
Get information to help you make an informed decision:
Learn how to donate:
- How to donate cord blood
– Get a step-by-step overview of the donation process, including your
role, how cord blood is collected in the hospital and what happens at
the public cord blood bank
- Learn if you can donate – See medical eligibility guidelines for donation
- Where to donate – Find out if your hospital works with a public cord blood bank and whether there is a public bank in your area
NMDP commitment to cord blood donation:
For 20 years, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has matched
donors and patients to facilitate bone marrow transplants and help save
lives. Today, the NMDP is committed to partnering with cord blood banks
around the world to build a strong network and inventory of
high-quality cord blood units available to any patient who needs a
transplant.
In 2006, the NMDP was selected by the U.S. federal government to
operate the nation’s Cord Blood Coordinating Center. We are also
conducting a research study on cord blood transplantation and patient
outcomes. (Learn more about our network of banks in the United States
— listed in Where to Donate — as well as international cord blood registries.)