Cord Blood Banking: What Expecting Parents Should Know (Updated 2025)

Cord blood banking offers access to hematopoietic stem cells that can treat some blood and immune disorders. Collection is safe and painless at birth. Parents can donate to public banks (free) or pay to store privately. Public donation is generally recommended unless a family member has a known medical need. Consider hospital logistics, costs, and clinical limitations when deciding.

Why consider cord blood banking?

When you plan for a new baby, cord blood banking is one option to consider. Cord blood - the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth - contains hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells. Those cells can treat certain blood cancers, inherited blood disorders, and immune and metabolic diseases using stem cell transplants.

How collection and storage work

Collection happens immediately after birth. It is painless for mother and baby and does not affect delivery. A trained team draws the blood from the cord and ships it to a processing facility, where labs separate and cryopreserve the cellular portion for long-term storage.

You can either donate cord blood to a public bank (no cost to you; units become available to any matching patient) or store it in a private bank for family use (usually for a fee). Public donation expands the pool for unrelated patients in need. Private banking may be considered when a close relative has a known disorder that might benefit from a matched transplant.

What cord blood can - and can't - do

Cord blood has been used successfully in transplants to treat many blood and immune system conditions. It is especially valuable when a matched bone marrow donor is not available.

However, cord blood is not a guaranteed "insurance policy." It may not be suitable for genetic diseases that affect the child (because the cord blood carries the same genetic variant), and autologous (self) use can be limited for some childhood cancers. Not every collected unit contains enough cells for an older child or adult transplant.

Safety, regulation, and standards

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates cord blood products. Many banks also seek accreditation from organizations such as the AABB and FACT to meet quality standards.

There are practical limits: not every birth yields a usable volume, some collections are disqualified for contamination or maternal infections, and the logistics depend on whether your hospital participates with a bank.

Cost and decisions

Public donation is free. Private banking involves an initial processing fee and ongoing annual storage charges. Weigh the costs, the likelihood of family need, and guidance from your clinician. Major professional organizations recommend public donation over routine private storage unless there is a known family medical indication.

Making the choice

If you want to donate or bank cord blood, tell your prenatal care team early so paperwork and hospital arrangements are in place. Discuss family medical history with your provider to determine whether private storage is likely to be useful.

Note: Estimates on total clinical transplants using cord blood, long-term storage viability, and private banking costs change over time and should be checked when you make your decision.

1. Confirm current estimate of total clinical cord blood transplants worldwide (marked in text).
2. Confirm published evidence on viability after long-term cryostorage (20+ years) and cite up-to-date studies if used.
3. Confirm current typical private banking cost ranges (initial processing and annual storage) for 2025.