Is Cord Blood Donation The Right Choice?

Cord blood donation is one of the things, expectant parents need to consider. The stem cells found in cord blood are very useful in successfully treating patients suffering from sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, immune deficiency and many other such diseases. If you donate cord blood then you make it available to anyone who needs cord blood transplantation. Once you have donated it, it gets listed on a cord blood registry which can be accessed by doctors all over the country who need to find a suitable match to treat a patient who needs a transplant. The process of cord blood collection is a painless one as it is done after the baby is delivered and the placenta is separated from it. After it is collected, it is sent to a public cord blood bank where it is tested and then stored for future use.

Things To Keep In Mind When Donating Cord Blood

If you want to donate your cord blood you need to decide by the 34th week of your pregnancy period to do so. Then you need to inform the bank you wish to donate to so that they can start the paperwork and all formalities can be completed by the date of your delivery. Once you have donated your cord blood, your identity remains confidential.

It may be difficult to find a bank to make your donation to as there is a limited number of public banks available. In case there is no public cord blood bank in your area or your hospital does not have cord blood collecting facilities, then you will need to find one closest to you and make arrangements to have your blood sent to them.

A problem you may face when you donate cord blood is that in the future if you require a cord blood transplant there is no guarantee that you will get your own donated blood back. You will need to check on the registry for cord blood from an unrelated donor.

There are some public banks which may use your donated cord blood for a transplant or for medical research. There is no way to be certain that your donation is going to be used only for treatment. If you wish to donate with the sole purpose of treating someone, this may not be the case.

When Should I Not Donate Cord Blood?

Donating your cord blood would be a very generous thing to do in order to help others. But there are certain things you need to consider before you do so, like your own family. In case you have a family history of genetic blood or immune related diseases, then it would be a better option to store your own cord blood for future use by yourself and your child if required. You can do this in a private cord blood bank at a cost. This way you will be assured of your own cord blood being available to you immediately in case a transplant is needed.

You never know what the future holds. It is up to you to decide on the best choice, cord blood donation or storing your blood exclusively for your family's use.