Cord donation

[Hazandduck]

Hi,

I have never heard of this before. Currently on maternity leave and just found a post on Instagram

Sorry I posted too soon and don’t know how to edit OP.
Has anyone done this before? According to this link:

www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/cord-blood-bank/what-is-cord-blood/

the benefits are incredible and can be used to treat leukaemia and lymphoma, I’m shocked to have never heard of this and that the placenta and cord are just thrown away!

Surely more expectant parents should be made aware of this? Why don’t all hospitals take donations? Or am I missing something.

Anyone with advice on how to go about it, I’d really appreciate more info but will ask my Midwife next week too at my 38 week appointment.

Google Anthony Nolan - I donated my DD cord yesterday morning after giving birth to her. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't.

Thank you @lightgreenglass and huge congratulations! I recognise your name from another antenatal thread but not sure which - were you on the ‘staying positive’ thread? I’m due two weeks tomorrow :) Very happy for you and off to google Anthony Nolan x

I also did this only found out in the hospital when they asked. Made no difference whatsoever to me as far as I could tell!

Thank you for replying @changeabout, yes from what I’ve read it has no affect on your birth or baby.

From looking it up though there seems to only be a few hospitals that do it, I’m having Baby in Winchester and they don’t take the donations. I have a friend who works there that I’m seeing today so I will ask her about having it delivered somewhere if possible! Seems such a waste doesn’t it?

Yes, I did this with DD1 as she was born at King's, where Anthony Nolan operate a bank. It is publicised to parents who deliver at the hospitals which operate cord blood banks, but there are only ten in the country - six NHS and four Anthony Nolan.

It made absolutely no difference to any part of the birth, and we just had to sign a consent form a few hours later. We were told that they got a really good sample from DD's cord and although I will never know for sure I hope that it was enough for a therapeutic use and that it has helped somebody. You can still donate if you have delayed clamping and even small amounts can be incredibly useful in research.

I'm afraid that if you're delivering at Winchester you almost certainly won't be able to donate to a public bank. They will not have a team in place to facilitate it. You could, however, sign up with Anthony Nolan to go on the bone marrow register.

Thank you @Hahahmm it seems such a shame that all those cords go to waste each day! Thank you for the info though :)

Where DD was born do the same but if you give birth outside of office hours they couldn’t collect at the hospital I gave birth at.