Stem cell donation from cord after labour

[Potteryprincess30]

Does anyone know about donating the cord after giving birth? I understand it has to be cut a little earlier and am very keen to donate the stem cells/cord as I've read such good things about the people it can help.

However I am not giving birth in any of the hospitals (NHS list just 6 in the UK) that do the donation thing. Is there a charity that will come and collect it from a birth center do you think? There's 'Cells for life' but that seems a private thing.

I'm in Bristol, due 7 the March and giving birth all going well at a birth center rather then Southmead the main hospital.

Any information much appreciated

I did this with DD2 but was at a listed hospital. Anthony Nolan do other hospitals to the NHS but not Bristol I don't think.
It's only certain hospitals because of the diversity of the population that use them. Also they'll only collect the cord blood in a straightforward birth usually in the day time. So no guarantee even if you are signed up. I had placenta previa with DS1 so it was impossible.

@KadabrasSpoon good for you, it's seems like most people should be doing it when they just incinerate them. Someone who works in stem cells has posted another thread so hopefully he'll PM me about arranging something

Ah that's good news, hopefully you can do it.

Sorry, OP. You won't be able to make an altruistic donation. The only charity who do this are Anthony Nolan and they're only in King's London, St Mary's Manchester, Leicester Royal Infirmary and Leicester General.

You could of course pay for private collection and storage if you wish.

Does anyone know if you can donate if you have a homebirth? I’m under kings so have done the permission forms but seems unlikely they can do it if you give birth at home?

I don’t think so, Liz - at least not with AN. I delivered DD1 at Kings and from (hazy) memory the donation team came into the theatre almost straightaway. I don’t think they are mobilised for home births.

I don't think so either. They were only doing daytime births at the hospital I was at. I think it'd be too complicated for home birth. It also depends on how things go.
Mine was a scheduled CS and we needed NHS blood and transplant there anyway in case DD needed a transfusion. So they were already there if that makes sense

@Buxbaum that's such a shame. My brother in laws girlfriend is a midwife and used to work somewhere where it was standard practice at the hospital and you would include it on your notes. Hopefully in the future all hospitals will ask if you want to donate. So many births every day and they just burn the precious cords.

I know, Pottery. We felt very very glad to be able to donate first time around, and because we weren't able to have delayed clamping we were later told that they got a really good sample. I very much hope that it was enough to treat someone, although of course we will never know.

We've since moved and I won't be able to donate this time either.

It does seem I won't be able to donate. I thought being in a city there must be some charity or organization that would come and collect the donated cord. The researcher guy who started a new thread just sent me a link I had already refereed to in this original post and said to check if my hospital was on the list.

As I said I was hoping to give birth in a birth center and had mentioned that in Bristol no hospitals were on the list I don't think he actually read my post .

He gave useful scientific information if anyone's interested but I thought i'd try and keep this thread going a little longer in case anyone had any practical advice that could mean I could donate.

A long shot but still 6 weeks till my due date so I will not give up to soon

Don't have any info but will be watching this with interest as it's something I'd like to do too.
I'm in Bristol too, and due to give birth in Southmead Hospital which is also where I go to give blood (or did until becoming pregnant!) so it seems a shame they don't take these donations too.

@laelti it does seem a huge waste of valuable research material as well as something that could actually help another very sick child. So many babies must be born at Southmead and they really do just burn the cords once they are cut (I asked my midwife what happened to them.

I was hoping some private company had some kind of outreach/charity program that collected. Seems crazy when there are a lot of people that will come and collect your placenta to make pills ect from. I know this is a payed service but stem cells are actually proven to have great benefits, especially in people with blood cancer from what I have read. Where as the benefits of ingesting the placenta are not proven scientifically (no judgment here though if anyone chooses to do this if it is right for them). Will keep searching and researching though about Bristol stem cell donation so will keep you posted @laelti

All the best with your pregnancy

OP, you could try contacting Anthony Nolan directly and asking if they know of any local provision.

Thanks both. It’s not 100% that I’ll be able to have a HB so may well be able to donate anyway. We did last time when I gave birth at kings.

Pottery, I didn’t realise that donation wasn’t a nationwide thing. It’s a real shame.

@Buxbaum good plan, will give them a call and see

I did this through LGH and it was no trouble or inconvenience. The ladies that organized it were so lovely on both occasions and my DDs got a little certificate each, which I have kept.