Update - Cord Blood Donation Option

umdbride · February 2011

Several weeks ago I looked into donating cord blood with little success...however, one place that participates with the National Marrow Registry did contact me back and I wanted to share the info. Unfortunately, I'm too late to donate, but maybe you can use the info or pass it along to someone who wants to donate.

Right now there are very few hospitals in our area that collect donated cord blood, but I was able to get in touch with the National Marrow Registry and find an organization that will send you a kit for your OB/GYN to do the collection and then send the cord blood to be donated to the National Registry. One caveat is that you must be less than 34 weeks along when you contact them to begin the process.

Here is the info - hope someone is able to use it!

The organization is MD Anderson https://www.mdanderson.org/cordblood

To donate cord blood with MD Anderson you will need to:

Contact MD Anderson before you are 34 weeks along

Direct contact is April and can be reached at 713-792-62740

Answer a few general screening questions
Confirm that your OB/GYN is willing to take a 10 minute online training for cord blood collection and will be willing to collect the cord blood at delivery
If everything is acceptable, they will mail you a package for collection and donation that you will bring to the hospital with you when you deliver

Sofka · February 2011

I wanted to donate but my OB charges for the service so I didn't

be sure to check w/ your OB before filling out the (humongous) paperwork

Hey Jellisy · February 2011

I don't remember if this was said last time, but if you deliver on a weekday at INOVA Fairfax, you can donate cord blood there without going through your OB. THey don't do donations on the weekend. Also I was watrching TV while on maternity leave and luearned thst you can ask your OB to delay clamping and the blood actually flows back into your baby, apparebtly there are a lot of health benefits to doing this. I plan to talk to my OB when we decide to have number 3 to see if he would accomodate that.

KelXoXo · February 2011

Thank you so much for this post, I've just started doing research for this, and will talk to my doctor at my next appointment!

victoria1212 · February 2011

Sofka:
I wanted to donate but my OB charges for the service so I didn't

be sure to check w/ your OB before filling out the (humongous) paperwork

I did donate my cord blood- my doctor charges for collecting for cord blood banking but waives all fees when you donate and I think this is a pretty common practice.

victoria1212 · February 2011

With the National Donor Marrow registry- they use Fedex to pick up the collection boxes so if you deliver on Friday or Saturday night- there is no Fedex pick-up. I delivered on Sunday evening and they picked it up first thing Monday morning.(It has to be picked up within 24 hours of collection).

I think donating is great! Otherwise, it just gets thrown away and there are so many people and diseases that could possibly be helped with the cells or research.

Ok, getting off my soap box now.

cookieinva · February 2011

Hey Jellisy:
I don't remember if this was said last time, but if you deliver on a weekday at INOVA Fairfax, you can donate cord blood there without going through your OB. THey don't do donations on the weekend. Also I was watrching TV while on maternity leave and luearned thst you can ask your OB to delay clamping and the blood actually flows back into your baby, apparebtly there are a lot of health benefits to doing this. I plan to talk to my OB when we decide to have number 3 to see if he would accomodate that.

This. I delivered there on a weekday and opted to donate. Unfortunately they couldn't get enough to donate.

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