Christiana Care Maternity
 |
 |
Donating Cord Blood
If you are delivering your baby at Christiana Hospital, you have the option to donate your baby's umbilical-cord blood for life-saveing medical treatments or non-embryonic stem cell research. Your donation could help to save the life of a child or an adult battling leukemia, breast cancer, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, sickle-cell anemia, bone-marrow failure or another disease.
Cord blood is the blood from your baby's umbilical cord. This blood is a rich source of stem cells. Stem cells make the three types of blood cells that we need to survive: red cells to carry oxygen throughout our body, platelets to prevent bleeding and white cells to form our immune system and guard against infection.
When stem cells are damaged or destroyed during aggressive treatment for cancer or other diseases, they can be replaced through bone-marrow or umbilical-cord blood transplantation. Your donation of cord blood can provide stem cells that can be used by a child or adult suffering from cancers or other life-threatening diseases.
The cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord after your child's birth. The collection process takes about 5 minutes and is safe for both you and your baby. Your doctor, midwife or nurse will draw the cord blood. There is no pain associated with this process to you or your baby. The blood is collected in a sterile pouch, which is then packaged in a specially designed container and delivered to the laboratory (The Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program), where it will be processed and stored. All cord blood units receive a unique barcode replacing the mother's identity. These units are then listed on an international registry and are available worldwide to all transplant physicians.
How to donate cord blood
To donate cord blood, register in advance through the The Brady Kohn Foundation Web site or by calling 302-765-2875. The best time to register is before your 32nd week of pregnancy.
