Questions to Ask About Cord Blood Collection

Considering cord blood banking? Here's what you need to know upfront:

• What is cord blood? It's the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth, rich in stem cells that can treat over 80 medical conditions, including leukemia and immune disorders.
• Why bank it? It provides a treatment option and potential match for your child and other family members. Only 10–50% of patients find donor matches, making private banking a secure option for families.
• When to decide? Between 28–34 weeks of pregnancy, giving you time to research, prepare paperwork, and coordinate with your hospital.
• How does it work? After delivery, the umbilical cord is clamped and blood is collected painlessly in just 5–10 minutes. The sample is then processed and stored for decades.

Key facts:

• Cord blood is easier to match than bone marrow and has a 50% lower rejection rate.
• Over 4,000 cord blood transplants are performed annually, with 500+ clinical trials exploring new uses.
• Storage plans vary by services (cord blood, cord tissue, placental tissue) and duration (annual, 20-year, lifetime).

Costs: Plans start at $67/month for 24 months (20-year storage) with additional kit and shipping fees. Pricing is subject to change, for the most up-to-date prices visit https://production.americordblood.com/pricing.

Cord blood banking offers a unique opportunity to secure future treatment options for your family. Early research and preparation are essential for a smooth process.

When and How to Prepare for Collection

When to Decide on Cord Blood Banking

The best time to decide on cord blood banking is between 28 to 34 weeks of pregnancy, giving you plenty of time to research, complete paperwork, and finalize arrangements. It’s important to have everything settled before the 34-week mark.

Dr. Masterson, OB/GYN and Chief of Women and Children's Services and Dermatology at Summit Health, stresses the importance of early planning:

The sooner you decide to partner with a bank and receive a kit, the better.

During your early third trimester, make it a priority to discuss cord blood banking with your healthcare provider. Together, you can explore whether private banking or public donation is a better fit for your family’s needs and medical history. Your doctor can also provide guidance based on your pregnancy and delivery plans.

Be sure to include your decision in your birth plan. This ensures everyone involved in your delivery is aware and prepared to assist with the collection process.

Steps to Take Before Collection

Once you’ve decided to move forward with cord blood banking, there are several key steps to complete at least six weeks before your due date to ensure a smooth process on delivery day.

• Contact your chosen cord blood bank to receive a collection kit. This kit will include all the necessary supplies, instructions for you and your healthcare provider, and proper labeling materials.
• Complete all required paperwork and consent forms ahead of time. These may include medical history forms, consent for collection and storage, and any insurance-related documentation. Taking care of this early helps avoid last-minute delays.
• Store your collection kit safely at room temperature in a secure, accessible location. Be sure to pack it in your hospital bag so it’s ready when you need it.
• If you’re considering delayed umbilical cord clamping, you should know that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists suggests delaying for 30-60 seconds. This ensures baby gets some of the cord blood back and there is leftover to preserve for future use.

Once these steps are complete, the next focus is making sure your hospital is ready for the collection process.

Working with Your Hospital

Coordinating with your hospital is a critical part of ensuring a successful cord blood collection. Not all hospitals are equipped to handle cord blood collection or may not work with every cord blood bank, so early communication is key.

During a prenatal visit - ideally around your 28-week appointment - notify your hospital of your plans to bank cord blood. Confirm that they can perform the collection and that your healthcare team is trained in the proper procedures. Some hospitals may have specific protocols or partnerships with certain banks, so understanding these details early can help you avoid complications.

When you arrive at the hospital for delivery, inform the nursing staff immediately about your cord blood banking plans and provide your collection kit. The kit includes identification labels that need to be filled out, and your healthcare provider will need time to review the instructions.

The actual collection happens after your baby is delivered but before the placenta is delivered. Your healthcare provider will handle this process, ensuring the collection bag is properly labeled and prepared for transport. Timing is critical, so having a well-prepared team makes all the difference.

Cord blood must be shipped to the bank within 36–48 hours of collection. Proper coordination ensures your baby’s cord blood reaches the cord blood laboratory in optimal condition.

How Cord Blood Collection Works

The Collection Process

Cord blood collection is a quick and simple procedure that happens right after your baby is born. It typically takes just 5-10 minutes and occurs during the third stage of labor - after your baby is delivered, but before the placenta is expelled.

Here’s how it works: Once your baby is born, the healthcare provider will clamp and cut the umbilical cord - just as they would in any delivery. The only difference is what follows. After the cord is cut, a sterile needle is inserted into the umbilical vein attached to the placenta. The blood flows naturally into a special collection bag, aided by gravity, without the use of pumps or suction. The bag contains an anticoagulant to prevent clotting.

The average collection yields about 60 mL of cord blood, which contains approximately 470 million Total Nucleated Cells (TNC) and 1.8 million CD34+ cells - the highly valuable stem cells that make cord blood so important for medical use.

Once the process is complete, the cord blood is sealed and sent for transport to a processing facility.

Safety for Mother and Baby

Cord blood collection is completely safe for both mother and baby. It’s a noninvasive and painless procedure that only begins after the baby is born and the cord is cut, meaning it doesn’t interfere with delivery in any way.

The collection process doesn’t delay important moments like skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, or bonding with your newborn. Your baby receives all the care they need while the collection happens separately.

For mothers, there are no additional risks or complications involved. The blood collected is typically discarded with the placenta, so the procedure doesn’t extend labor, require extra medications, or affect recovery. Many parents note they hardly noticed the collection happening, as the medical team handles everything while they focus on their new baby. This ease and safety are major reasons families choose to bank their baby’s cord blood - it’s a simple way to preserve a potentially life-saving resource.

What Can Affect Collection

Several factors can influence how much cord blood is collected and its quality, which can impact how effective it will be for future use.

Some baby-related factors include birth weight and sex. Babies weighing more than 6.6 pounds (3.0 kg) generally yield more cord blood, and male babies often have larger cord blood volumes compared to female babies. Additionally, babies born closer to full term tend to have higher CD34+ cell counts, which are the most valuable stem cells.

The delivery method also plays a role. Cesarean section deliveries often result in greater cord blood volumes compared to vaginal deliveries. The placenta’s weight matters too - heavier placentas (over 600 grams) are associated with higher blood volumes and cell counts.

Delayed umbilical cord clamping can reduce the amount of blood collected. Additionally, preterm births may result in smaller collections due to lower birth weights and smaller placentas. However, even smaller volumes can still be valuable, especially for your child, who would be an exact genetic match for future treatments.

Storage and Processing Options

Transport and Testing

After your baby's cord blood is collected, it's carefully transported to a processing facility under monitored conditions. Once it arrives, technicians inspect the collection kit, assign a unique donor ID number for confidentiality and tracking, and begin the testing process.

At the lab, the cord blood is weighed, and technicians perform tests to confirm essential criteria like minimum volume, cell count, and safety. A sample is archived for future testing, while another undergoes bacterial screening. If the collected cord blood meets the required standards, it is processed using an automated system that separates the blood into its components. This step ensures the preservation of the most valuable stem cells for storage. Once processing is complete, the cord blood is prepared for long-term storage, ready for potential future use.

Long-Term Storage Methods

The processed cord blood is frozen to preserve the viability of its stem cells. A cryoprotectant is added to protect the cells from damage during the freezing process. Americord Registry uses CryoMaxx™ Processing, which involves freezing the cord blood in metal cartridges at a controlled rate of 1-2°C per minute until it reaches -196°C.

Instead of single-use bags, the cord blood is stored in 5-compartment vials. This method provides flexibility, allowing families to use portions of the stored cord blood for multiple treatments without using the entire sample. Once frozen, the cartridges are placed in vapor-phase liquid nitrogen freezers maintained at -196°C. These freezers are monitored around the clock, with automatic alerts in case of temperature changes. Americord's facilities are equipped with multiple security measures and are continuously supervised to ensure the safety of stored samples.

Research has shown that stem cells stored in this way can remain viable for decades. Successful transplants have been performed using samples stored for over 20-25 years, and some experts believe that with proper preservation, stem cells could last for over 200 years without losing their effectiveness.

Americord Storage Plans

After processing and freezing, Americord offers flexible storage plans designed to meet different family needs and budgets. The plans all include CryoMaxx™ Processing and vary based on the types of tissues banked.

• Essential Family Plan: Focuses on cord blood banking with CryoMaxx™ Processing.
• Advanced Family Plan: Adds cord tissue banking to cord blood storage.
• Complete Family Plan: Includes cord blood, cord tissue, and placental tissue banking.
• Ultimate Family Plan: Expands on the Complete plan by adding newborn exosome banking.
• Maximum Family Plan: Offers the most comprehensive coverage, adding maternal exosome banking to all services in the Ultimate plan.

Storage durations include options for annual payments (in some cases), 20-year plans, or lifetime storage. For example, as of June 14, 2025, the Essential Family Plan with 20-year storage costs $67 per month for 24 months, totaling $1,618.80, plus a $280 kit and shipping fee. Lifetime storage is available for $117 per month for 24 months, totaling $2,818.80, plus the same $280 fee. Pricing is subject to change, for the most up-to-date prices visit https://production.americordblood.com/pricing.

Americord also offers a $110,000 Cord Blood Quality Guarantee and flexible payment plans, which can be made as a single payment or spread over 12 or 24 months. Currently, cord blood stem cells are FDA-approved to treat over 80 conditions, while ongoing clinical trials are exploring additional uses for stem cells from cord tissue and placental tissue.

Making Your Decision

What Parents Should Remember

Choosing whether to bank your baby's cord blood is a significant decision, and there are several key points to weigh. One of the most important is your family's medical history. Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend private cord blood banking primarily when a sibling has a medical condition that could potentially benefit from stem cell therapy. Though it is important to remember that health is unknown and there is a possibility the stem cells could match other family members.

Timing matters, too. It's best to make your decision early in the third trimester to allow for proper planning. Check with your hospital to confirm if they offer cord blood collection and verify whether your insurance covers any of the associated costs.

The financial aspect is another major consideration. Private banking typically involves an upfront collection fee that can run into the thousands, along with annual storage fees (in some cases) of a few hundred dollars. While the costs are substantial, the potential benefits are notable - cord blood stem cells are currently used to treat more than 80 diseases, and studies suggest that regenerative medicine may benefit 1 in 3 Americans during their lifetime.

Given these factors, selecting a dependable partner for preserving your baby's stem cells is essential.

Why Choose Americord?

Americord stands out by offering clear and innovative solutions tailored to families' needs. Their commitment to transparency means no hidden fees, no shortcuts, and no unpleasant surprises. This straightforward approach allows families to make informed decisions without financial guesswork.

Americord also provides expert support when you need it most. Their team of Stem Cell Specialists are available seven days a week to answer questions and guide you through the process, ensuring you feel confident every step of the way.

Americord's advanced processing technology and quality guarantee reflect their dedication to high standards. Plus, they offer flexible payment options, making cord blood banking more accessible. Plans start at $67 per month for 24 months with 0% interest, and families can choose from annual, 20-year, or lifetime storage plans (pricing may vary). With options like the Essential and Maximum Family Plans, you can select a service package that fits both your needs and budget.

Jhansi P., an Americord Client from Kansas, shared her experience:

We decided to save our baby's stem cells because it seems like every day there are new treatments for diseases that used to be incurable. We chose Americord because it is constantly investing in innovations in stem cell preservation and it offers cord blood products that are not available with other companies.

Americord goes beyond basic cord blood banking. They also offer preservation services for cord tissue, placental tissue, and exosomes, giving families access to potential future treatments in regenerative medicine. With cord blood already being used to treat up to 80 diseases and ongoing clinical trials exploring new possibilities, partnering with a forward-thinking company like Americord Registry ensures your family is prepared for advancements in medical care.

FAQs

What should I consider when choosing between private and public cord blood banking?

When choosing between private and public cord blood banking, it’s essential to consider what works best for your family’s circumstances and potential future needs.

With private cord blood banking, you’re storing your baby’s stem cells exclusively for your family. While this option involves a cost, it offers the reassurance of having these cells readily available for personalized medical treatments, should the need arise.

In contrast, public cord blood banking allows you to donate your baby’s stem cells at no cost, making them accessible to others in need. However, once donated, you lose access to them, meaning they may not be available for your family later.

When deciding, think about factors like cost, your family’s medical history, and the likelihood of needing stem cells in the future. If private banking feels like the right choice, Americord Registry provides tailored, forward-thinking services designed to meet your family’s needs.

What medical advancements could cord blood stem cells support in the future?

Cord blood stem cells offer immense promise in the field of regenerative medicine. These cells are already being used to treat a range of blood and immune system disorders and may one day help address conditions like type 1 diabetes, spinal cord injuries, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and neonatal diseases.

Researchers are actively studying their potential in tissue regeneration, transplant therapies, and treatments for neurological and cardiovascular conditions. With continued advancements, these cells could open doors to new ways of tackling complex diseases and enhancing patient care.