Logan Reid
Cord blood donation is a process where blood from a clamped and cut umbilical cord is collected by a physician and saved for potential stem cell transplants instead of being thrown away. Bloodworks Northwest offers a Cord Blood Donation Program where expectant families can donate their baby's cord blood. The program uses all-volunteer collectors from delivery room teams who are trained by Bloodworks Northwest staff. The collected cord blood is screened, tested, processed, stored, and distributed to patients worldwide for transplantation. To donate, individuals must meet specific eligibility criteria, including being at least 18 years old and having no history of blood disorders or cancer in the immediate family. Hospitals participating in the program work with public cord blood banks, and interested donors should contact these banks to understand the donation process and complete any necessary forms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the program | Bloodworks Northwest Cord Blood Program |
| Location | Downtown Seattle |
| Donor eligibility | Donors must be at least 18 years of age, have no history of blood disorders or cancer, and the baby's gestation must be at least 37 weeks at the time of delivery |
| Donor process | Donors must complete a screening form, consent form, and health history forms. After delivery, a trained collector will drain the umbilical cord of blood and stem cells using a needle and collection bag. |
| Donor confidentiality | All donor information is kept confidential, and donors are assigned a number to protect their privacy |
| Donor cost | There is no cost to donors for collection, processing, or storage of cord blood |
| Use of donated cord blood | Cord blood is rich in stem cells, which can be used in place of bone marrow stem cells when a matching donor cannot be found. Cord blood is especially helpful for patients from non-Caucasian ethnic groups due to the low number of registered bone marrow donors of color. |
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What You'll Learn
Bloodworks Northwest's Cord Blood Program
The Cord Blood Donation Program uses all-volunteer collectors from delivery room teams who are trained by Bloodworks Northwest staff. The program staff educate expectant families and community members about the importance of donation, gather collected cord blood, screen donors, test blood for infectious diseases, process the cord blood to obtain a high concentration of stem cells, store the cord blood, and distribute it to patients worldwide for transplantation.
To donate cord blood to the program, the donor must be at least 18 years of age, and the pregnancy must be at least 37 weeks gestation at the time of delivery. The baby's immediate family must have no history of any blood disorders or cancer. If the hospital is a participating collection site, the labour and delivery team must be informed of the donation, and a consent form must be signed. The donor will also be asked for a blood sample to be tested for infectious diseases.
Cord blood donation involves collecting blood from a clamped and cut umbilical cord, which is then saved for potential stem cell transplant instead of being thrown away. The collected cord blood unit is transported to the Cord Blood Program at Bloodworks Northwest's downtown Seattle location. The stem cells are then frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored until they are needed for transplant.
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Cord blood donation process
Bloodworks Northwest's Cord Blood Donation Program is the first and only such program in the Northwest. The program collects stem cells from donated umbilical cord blood, making them available to patients worldwide.
The donation process is simple and straightforward, with no additional recovery time needed for the mother or baby beyond the typical recovery from childbirth. The process is also painless for both.
To donate cord blood, the donor must be at least 18 years old, and the pregnancy must be at least 37 weeks along at the time of delivery. Additionally, there should be no history of blood disorders or cancer in the baby's immediate family.
If the donor meets the eligibility criteria, they can proceed with the donation process. First, the donor must ensure that their chosen hospital is a participating collection site for cord blood donation. This is an important step, as not all hospitals are equipped to collect cord blood. Once confirmed, the labor and delivery team at the hospital should be informed of the donor's intention to donate.
After the baby is born, the labor and delivery staff will clean and draw leftover blood from the clamped umbilical cord. This process is performed by trained cord blood collectors, who use a needle and collection bag similar to those used in standard blood collection procedures. The collected cord blood is then sent to a cord blood bank, where it undergoes processing and evaluation. If it meets the banking criteria, the stem cells are isolated and frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage until they are needed for transplantation.
Cord blood donation is a valuable act that can help save lives. The blood from the umbilical cord and placenta is rich in blood-forming cells, which can be used to treat blood cancers and disorders, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell disease. By donating cord blood, individuals can contribute to a genetically diverse inventory of stem cells, providing hope and cures for patients in need.
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Cord blood donation eligibility
Blood from the umbilical cord and placenta is rich in blood-forming cells, which can be life-saving for patients with diseases such as leukaemia, lymphoma, or certain inherited metabolic or immune system disorders. Cord blood donation is when blood from a clamped and cut umbilical cord is collected by a physician and saved for a potential stem cell transplant, instead of being thrown away.
To be eligible to donate cord blood, the donor must be at least 18 years of age, and the pregnancy must be at least 37 weeks at the time of delivery. The donor and the baby's immediate family must have no history of blood disorders or cancer. This includes the baby's parents and siblings.
After delivery, the umbilical cord is drained of blood and stem cells by a trained cord blood collector using a needle and collection bag. The collected blood is then screened for infectious diseases, processed to obtain a high concentration of stem cells, and stored until it is needed for transplantation.
Cord blood donation is particularly beneficial for patients with diverse ethnic backgrounds, as it is not necessary for the patient to genetically match the cord blood unit as closely as they would with a bone marrow or PBSC donor. This is because finding a match is based on human leukocyte antigens (HLA), which are inherited and help the body determine which cells belong and which do not. As a result, cord blood donation can help reduce the waiting time for a donor and provide a much-needed cure for patients in need.
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Hospitals participating in the Cord Blood Program
The decision to donate cord blood is a personal one, and it's important to note that not all hospitals offer this service. Some hospitals have cord blood collection kits on hand, while others do not, and some charge a separate fee for the service that may or may not be covered by insurance.
If you're interested in donating cord blood, you can find participating hospitals through the NMDP's cord blood bank and donation hospital locator. The NMDP Network of banks includes public cord blood banks working with participating hospitals, listed in order by state and then by city.
One example of a hospital with a Cord Blood Program is UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, which offers the Dan Berger Cord Blood Program. This program provides parents with three options: donating their baby's cord blood to research, donating to a public bank, or storing it in a private bank for their family.
Another example is Bloodworks NW, which has a Cord Blood Program with participating hospitals.
It's important to note that there are different types of cord blood banks to consider when choosing where to donate or store your baby's cord blood. Public cord blood banks are free, regulated by the FDA, anonymous, and help increase the chances of finding a match for those in need. Private cord blood banks, on the other hand, are typically chosen by families with a history of health conditions treatable with stem cells or those with a current need for a stem cell transplant. Private banks charge collection and annual storage fees, and it's important to understand all associated costs before choosing this option.
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Benefits of cord blood transplantation
Umbilical cord blood transplantation is a valuable source of stem cells for patients requiring a transplant. Cord blood can be used to treat people with blood cancers like leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, as well as other life-threatening diseases such as blood diseases (e.g. anaemia) and some immune system disorders.
One of the main benefits of cord blood transplantation is the reduced risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). This occurs when the donor's blood cells attack the patient's healthy tissues, and it can be life-threatening. Cord blood transplants have a lower incidence of cGVHD due to the "naivety" of cord blood stem cells, which makes them more tolerant of HLA disparity and allows for greater matching flexibility. This means that cord blood can be safely used even if the donor cells are not a perfect match, which is often the case for patients from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Cord blood is also advantageous because it is readily available. Cord blood collections are stored frozen in public cord blood banks, so they can be accessed quickly when needed. This is especially beneficial for patients who require a transplant urgently, as it can take months to find a matched donor and acquire bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells from an unrelated adult donor.
Cord blood also offers a stronger graft-versus-leukaemia effect, which can help prevent a person's cancer from returning after their transplant. Additionally, cord blood stem cells are easy to collect and have a lower risk of carrying infectious diseases or being rejected by the patient's body compared to adult stem cells.
Overall, cord blood transplantation offers many potential benefits, including expanding the donor pool, delivering speed to transplant, reducing the risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease, and improving long-term quality of life for patients.
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Frequently asked questions
The Cord Blood Program at Bloodworks Northwest collects stem cells from donated umbilical cord blood. These stem cells are then made available to patients worldwide who require a transplant.
To donate cord blood, you must first ensure that your hospital is a participating collection site. If it is, inform the labour and delivery team that you are donating your umbilical cord blood. You will need to sign a consent form and complete a health history form. After your baby is born, a trained collector will drain the umbilical cord of blood and stem cells.
Your donated cord blood is transported to the Cord Blood Program, where it is de-identified and evaluated for banking criteria. If it meets the criteria, it is frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored until it is needed for a transplant.
