July is Cord Blood Awareness Month, a vital time to deepen our understanding of cord blood and its immense potential. Yet, a barrier stands in our way: a lack of awareness. Two decades ago, a report by the American Journal of Hematology revealed a shocking statistic: 88% of Black women expressed a willingness to donate cord blood if only they were aware of the possibility. Fast-forward to today and things have not changed enough.
To bridge the awareness gap, let’s delve into some essential knowledge every mother needs.
What is Cord Blood?
Following a baby’s birth, the umbilical cord and placenta are often discarded and dismissed as postpartum biological waste. However, they hold something very special: cord blood. This is not just any blood; it’s a unique type of blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth.
What sets cord blood apart is its rich content of hematopoietic stem cells, as outlined by Stanford Medicine. These cells can help strengthen the immune system, and they can even mature and grow into different types of blood cells; they hold the potential to reconstitute an individual’s entire blood supply. Their capabilities make them invaluable in the treatment of various diseases, including leukemia, genetic disorders, and immune system diseases. These reasons point to why as a community, we should think twice before discarding this life-saving resource.
How is Cord Blood Retrieved?
If you decide to store your baby’s cord blood, your healthcare provider will collect it right after they clamp and cut the umbilical cord. As explained by the Mayo Clinic, a needle is inserted into the cord to extract the blood. The blood is then put into a collection bag. This entire process takes just a few minutes and from there, the blood undergoes processing and categorization before it is dispatched for freezing.
Facts You Should Know
If you’re thinking about storing or donating cord blood, it’s important to be well-informed. The Cord Blood Association has shared some interesting, yet not widely known, facts about cord blood. Take a moment to look at these facts:
Collecting cord blood does not harm the mother or baby and does not interfere with childbirth. It is collected by one’s doctor, or the placenta is delivered and given to a cord blood collection specialist. The collection process occurs after the umbilical cord is detached from the baby.
Expecting parents should prepare in advance for the collection of cord blood. It’s recommended to talk to your obstetrical physician or other healthcare providers between the 28th and 34th week of pregnancy about our interest in storing or donating your baby’s cord blood.
Unfortunately, not every hospital offers the option of cord blood donation, so checking in with your preferred hospital is important.
Cord blood is an alternative to bone marrow. It is used in transplants because it contains many natural elements and has amazing blood-forming abilities.
While you can choose to privately bank your baby’s cord blood for potential future use by your own family, donated cord blood can be used by anyone who is a match. Your baby’s cord blood could potentially save the lives of people beyond your family, patients who don’t have a suitable family donor.
When properly stored, cord blood stem cells don’t expire. Unlike bone marrow, cord blood can be frozen and stored for years or even decades.
Will Your Family’s Cord Blood Be a Match?
Most cord blood treatments rely on matching human leukocyte antigens (HLA), these are proteins that are found on most cells in your body. Your immune system uses these markers to recognize which cells belong in your body and which do not. In many cases, cord blood from a family member isn’t always a match. Even though family members share genes, the combination of HLA markers can vary. While cord blood can be a valuable resource, it is not guaranteed to be a match for siblings or other family members. This is one of the primary reasons why cord blood banks and registries are important. They reduce the waste of viable cord blood and increase the chances of finding a match for those in need of transplants.
Public vs Private Cord Blood Banks
When it comes to cord blood banking, public and private cord blood banks offer different services.
Donating cord blood to a public bank is a generous act that comes at no cost to you. Once donated, the cord blood becomes available to any patient in need of a transplant, or it can be used for medical research. Although public banking doesn’t reserve your donation for your family alone, it can contribute to health equity in our community, ensuring that we have the same access to life-saving treatments as patients from other ethnic backgrounds.
On the other hand, private cord blood banking is a personal investment. While it does come with collection and storage fees, it ensures that your baby’s cord blood is exclusively reserved for your family’s use. Initial collection fees can cost thousands of dollars, and annual storage fees can cost several hundred dollars, but for many families, it is worth it. Private banks have more flexible guidelines, allowing them to store any amount of cord blood, regardless of the stem cell count.
If your family ever needs cord blood, retrieving your specific donation from a public bank is highly unlikely. Once you donate to a public bank, the cord blood is owned by the bank, and there’s no guarantee it will be available if needed. If guaranteed access to your baby’s cord blood is what you’re looking for, private cord banking might be the route for you.
Each type of banking comes with its own advantages and challenges. While the financial aspect often stands out in comparison, as a mother, you possess the understanding of what is best for your family. Looking further into your options is always a wise move so that you can make informed decisions that align with your family’s needs.
Why It’s Important That We Participate
Choosing to donate your newborn’s cord blood can contribute to a nationwide effort to create a genetically diverse inventory of stem cells for transplantation and treatments. Patients in need of a transplant are more likely to find a suitable match from a donor of the same ethnic background, and the importance of cord blood awareness, particularly for Black mothers, can’t be understated.
The National Marrow Donor Program has revealed that approximately 70% of patients requiring transplants don’t have fully matched family donors. These patients often depend on cord blood transplants from unrelated donors. Therefore, even if your donation doesn’t directly benefit your own family, it serves as an invaluable contribution to the broader healthcare system.
Engage in conversations about Cord Blood Awareness Month with your loved ones. Spreading awareness can significantly enhance the chances of saving lives and collectively advance the research and treatments for conditions that affect us profoundly. Every conversation counts.
