{"id":1605,"date":"2016-10-24T22:19:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-24T22:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/?p=1605"},"modified":"2026-04-16T01:33:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T01:33:13","slug":"public-vs-private-cord-blood-banking-whats-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/24\/public-vs-private-cord-blood-banking-whats-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s Cord Blood Banking?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

updated November 1, 2025 <\/em>– <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The umbilical cord and placenta are rich in stem cells that can save lives, and they can be accessed and donated after giving birth. With a little preparation, parents can choose to donate their baby\u2019s cord blood, where it may one day help treat someone with leukemia, sickle cell disease or another serious illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Cord Blood?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cord blood is the blood that remains in your baby\u2019s umbilical cord and placenta after delivery. It\u2019s rich in hematopoietic stem cells, which can regenerate blood and immune systems. These cells are used in transplants for more than 80 diseases, including cancers, blood disorders and immune deficiencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"What's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Donating Cord Blood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Public cord blood donation is safe, free and helps the most possible people. In order to donate, you must deliver your baby at a participating cord blood collection facility<\/a>. Once you\u2019ve given consent in advance, a trained professional collects the cord blood after birth. The process is painless, takes just a few minutes and doesn\u2019t interfere with delivery or care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how donation typically works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Enroll before 34 weeks of pregnancy.<\/strong> You\u2019ll complete a brief health history and consent form.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Deliver at a participating hospital.<\/strong> Public banking programs are most often available at large medical centers and teaching hospitals (check the link above).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Collection and testing.<\/strong> After delivery, cord blood is collected, tested for infectious and genetic diseases and stored only if it meets strict safety and quality standards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Added to the national registry.<\/strong> Approved units are listed in the Be The Match\u00ae or National Marrow Donor Program registry, available to any compatible patient in need.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Parents should know that if delayed umbilical cord clamping is part of their routine care, or if they choose delayed cord clamping, the volume of their donation would be significantly smaller and possibly not eligible for collection. This is a conversation to have with your primary care physician before birth but either way, labor and delivery will be safe and adhere to the parent’s wishes.

    Occasionally a unit doesn\u2019t qualify for transplant use; it may have become un-sterile during the collection process or the donor tested positive for an infectious disease for example. In these cases, the blood may still be used for medical research, helping scientists better understand blood and immune system diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to Donate Cord Blood <\/strong>– To learn where and how to donate, visit National Marrow Donor Program\u00ae and Be The Match\u00ae <\/a>or ask your hospital if they participate in public collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In Case You\u2019re Wondering About Private Banking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You may have seen ads suggesting that you \u201cbank\u201d your baby\u2019s cord blood privately for your own family\u2019s future use. Private cord blood banks are for-profit companies that store cord blood for your family only, for an initial processing fee plus annual storage fees. Most experts agree it\u2019s not medically necessary in the vast majority of cases. As the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG): Umbilical Cord Blood Banking<\/a> states, The routine collection and storage of umbilical cord blood with a private cord blood bank is not supported by the available evidence.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n