What Cord Blood May be Used For

Umbilical cord blood, which is normally discarded after the birth of a baby, is rich in blood-making cells that can be used as an alternative to bone marrow transplants to treat cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma, disorders of the blood-making system such as sickle-cell anemia and severe immune-system disorders.

Who to Collect Your Cord Blood

Cord blood banking requires a kit that companies send to you, which is then brought to the hospital to collect the blood and the tissue, so this decision needs to be made ahead of time. Once collected, you can decide whether to donate it to a public bank for anyone who needs it or pay to store it in a private bank for your family to use if the need arises.

Donating Cord Blood

The Texas Cord Blood Bank is a nonprofit program established by the Texas Legislature in 2001 to collect umbilical cord blood that can benefit patients suffering from a number of fatal diseases. Since the program began collecting in 2005, more than 30,000 donations have been made.

For more information about cord blood banking, contact your doctor.