Cord Blood Banking: What Expecting Parents Should Know in 2025

Cord blood banking captures hematopoietic stem cells at birth that can treat blood and immune disorders. Families can donate publicly or pay for private storage. Enroll during pregnancy, verify accreditation, and weigh costs, privacy, and the realistic likelihood of future use when deciding.

What is cord blood banking?

Cord blood banking collects the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth. That blood contains hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells used in established medical treatments - most commonly hematopoietic stem cell transplants for blood and immune disorders such as leukemia, lymphoma, certain inherited metabolic diseases, and bone marrow failure.

Research continues into wider uses of cord blood cells (for example, in regenerative or neurological trials), but most of those applications remain experimental and are not standard clinical practice.

Public vs. private banks

You can donate cord blood to a public bank (where it may become available to any compatible patient) or pay to store it privately for your family's exclusive use. Public donation is often free. Private banking typically charges an initial processing fee plus an annual storage fee.

If a family has a known medical need (a sibling with a condition treatable by transplant), private banking may be recommended. For most families without that indication, clinicians and professional organizations often suggest considering public donation or weighing costs against the relatively low probability the child will need their own stored cord blood.

Timing and logistics

Enrollment and paperwork must happen during pregnancy - most banks ask you to sign up in the third trimester and arrange a collection kit before labor. The actual collection occurs right after delivery and does not interfere with the birth or the baby's care. You cannot collect cord blood after the umbilical cord is cut; the opportunity is limited to the birth event.

Costs and practical considerations

Private banking costs vary by provider and country. Typical U.S. ranges for new private accounts in recent years have been roughly $1,500-$3,000 for processing, plus annual storage fees often around $100-$200. Exact prices and contract terms vary, so read agreements carefully.

Also consider:

• The chance of autologous (self) use is low for most healthy newborns.

• Some conditions (like certain genetic diseases) cannot be treated with the child's own cord blood because the cells carry the same genetic defect.

• Verify accreditation (AABB, FACT, or local regulators) and shipping/processing protocols.

Ethical and privacy issues

Parents typically decide for the newborn, but questions about ownership, consent for future research, and genetic privacy can arise. Private contracts should explain who controls future use and how medical or genetic information will be handled.

How to decide

Talk with your obstetrician, a pediatrician, or a genetic counselor. If you're considering private banking, compare providers on accreditation, survival of stored units, release policies, and price. If you prefer broader public benefit, ask your hospital whether it partners with a public bank or how to donate.

If you see cord blood banking as a possibility, plan early, ask questions, and choose the option that fits your family's medical needs and values.

Cord Blood Registry (CBR) current ownership/affiliation and market position.

1. Verify Cord Blood Registry (CBR) current ownership, affiliations, and market position as of 2025.