Essential Guide to Cord blood banking
While you are pregnant, you will be asked if you want to bank your baby’s cord blood. Here’s some information to help you make your decision:
What is cord blood?
It is the blood from your newborn’s umbilical cord.
Why you should bank it
Cord blood contains stem cells that can benefit people with diseases like leukaemia, sickle cell anaemia and other blood and immune system diseases.
By banking it, you allow someone who is in need of a stem cell transplant the chance of being able to find a suitable match.
Public or private
You can donate it to the Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB) or have it stored in a private cord blood bank.
In a public cord blood bank, your child’s cord blood will be used for someone who needs it and is a match for it. Donating to SCBB is free.
In a private bank, you will have to pay a fee for your baby’s stem cells to be stored for potential future use for your child and your family. If you wish to store it in a private cord blood bank, you should register with them in your 28th week of pregnancy and inform your doctor of your intention to store the cord blood after birth. You will be provided with a collection box with all the necessary forms required for cord blood collection. Bring the collection box along with you upon your admission to the hospital.
Collecting the blood
The process is simple and painless. Your obstetrician will collect the blood from the umbilical cord immediately after the safe delivery of the baby and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. Before the delivery of the placenta, a needle is inserted into the remaining part of the cord and 40-150ml of blood is drawn out. The collection is possible even if you undergo a Caesarean operation for delivery.
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