Cord Blood Donation - A Step In The Right Direction

Cord blood donation is something that a couple, who is about to have a child, must definitely consider opting for. What is cord blood and what is the importance of cord blood donation? Cord blood is the blood that is taken out of the placenta, after it is separated at child birth. This blood contains stem cells. These stem cells have the amazing ability to regenerate themselves into red and white blood cells and even muscle and brain cells. Medical experts find this ability of cord blood to be tremendously useful in treating dreaded diseases like blood cancer or leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and thallasemia.


Cord Blood Donation And Cord Blood Registry

If you donate cord blood, then it becomes available to anyone who requires cord blood transplantation. After you have donated the cord blood, it gets listed on a cord blood registry. This registry can be availed by doctors all over the country, when they need to find a proper match to treat a patient who needs a transplant. The procedure of cord blood donation is harmless and painless to the cord blood donor.

Preparing For Your Cord Blood Donation

You need to keep in mind that if you wish to donate your cord blood, then you must start the formalities by the 34th week of pregnancy. This way the formalities can be completed by the date of your delivery. You should also know that as a cord blood donor, your identity will remain confidential.


The Ifs and Buts Of Cord Blood Donation

Sometimes, you may not have a public cord blood bank in your vicinity. You will then have to look out for one that may be at some distance from your home. The cord blood bank may store your blood but you may not get the same blood back, if you want it for a transplant in future. In fact, you may have to take it from a totally unrelated donor. Also, it is not necessary that the cord blood you donate will be used for somebody’s treatment. It may also be used for medical research.

So, those were some inputs on cord blood donation. If you have further questions or queries, you can go ahead and surf the net or read about cord blood donation in magazines and books. For more information visit pregnancyperiod.