| A baby's cord blood, or the blood left in the umbilical | | | | 2) You May Help Save the Life of Another. Let's face |
| cord and placenta after delivery used to be discarded | | | | it, you have a potentially life-saving product available |
| after birth. However, this blood is typically rich in | | | | at the time of delivery. You no longer need it, use it, |
| stem cells, which can currently be used to treat | | | | or can keep it. Your options - treat it as medical |
| many diseases. Although some forms of stem cell | | | | waste and throw it away, or allow it to be collected, |
| collections are controversial, since collecting stem cells | | | | at no cost to you, and potentially save someone's |
| from the umbilical cord is safe, painless, and derived | | | | life. Seriously, it makes the decision so much easier |
| from the normal birthing process, so it is as | | | | when you look at it like that. The collection is |
| non-controversial as donating blood, and just as | | | | painless, completely safe for you and your baby (the |
| potentially lifesaving. Many parents choose to save | | | | blood is collected only AFTER it has been separated |
| their baby's cord blood and have it stored with a | | | | from you and your baby) and free. There really is no |
| private bank, so that it will be available for family use | | | | reason to allow it to be discarded when it can |
| if needed. Others choose to donate the blood to a | | | | provide so many benefits. |
| public bank for the public good. If you are considering | | | | 3) Public Donation Provides Samples for Needed |
| either saving or donating your baby's umbilical blood, | | | | Research. Even if for some reason your donation isn't |
| here are three great reasons to consider donation to | | | | eligible for transplant purposes, it can still be used for |
| a public bank: | | | | research. And research is what leads doctors to |
| 1) Public Donation is No Cost To You. In general | | | | know how to treat illnesses and new ways to use |
| donation to a private bank will cost about $1700 the | | | | cord blood to treat and even possibly prevent |
| first year and approximately $125 each year | | | | illnesses in the future. If you know the cure for |
| thereafter. However, cord blood donation is free to | | | | cancer was in your kitchen wastebasket, wouldn't |
| parents. The public cord blood banks pay for the | | | | you let someone have full access to it? Well, that |
| collection, testing and storing of the umbilical cord | | | | may be a long shot - but in the case of cord blood - |
| blood. SO if the cost of private donation is prohibitive | | | | there is so much we have already learned about its |
| for you and your family, you may want to consider | | | | potential for treating and prevents diseases, that it is |
| public donation. Although public donation means the | | | | very likely that your simple donation can be used to |
| blood is available for anyone who is a match, if the | | | | help researches learn more about the treatment and |
| cord blood you donate is a match for a given | | | | prevention of cancer and other diseases in the |
| transplant, it will be available to you unless it has | | | | future. |
| already been used by another person. And in some | | | | While not all states have public cord banks, you can |
| cases, the likelihood of it having been used is low | | | | ask your hospital whether it accepts cord blood |
| since in general less than 10 percent of banked units | | | | donations for research purposes. With all the potential |
| are used. And while you can't guarantee availability | | | | benefits derived from cord blood, really the decisions |
| with a Public Bank, the more people that donate to a | | | | isn't whether or not you should save your baby's |
| public cord blood bank, the higher the likelihood for a | | | | cord blood, but whether you choose public or private |
| match from any donor source. | | | | banking. |