Why We Celebrate Cord Blood Awareness Month at Americord

If parents want to save cord blood, cord tissue, or placental tissue, they need to decide before birth. That is the main reason I see Cord Blood Awareness Month as important. These tissues are collected only once, and cord blood stem cells are already used for 80+ FDA-approved conditions. At the same time, cord tissue and placental tissue are still being studied in 300+ clinical trials.

Here’s the short version:

• Cord blood has current medical use for certain blood and immune disorders
• Cord tissue and placental tissue are still in research
• The best time to learn is early in pregnancy, not at the last minute
• Parents usually need time to:
  • choose a bank
  • enroll
  • get the collection kit
  • tell their OB-GYN or midwife
• A simple timeline is:
  • First trimester: start learning
  • Weeks 20–27: choose a provider
  • By week 28: tell your OB-GYN
  • By week 34: finish enrollment

A few facts stand out:

• More than 60,000 cord blood transplants have been done since 1988
• Americord offers an expedited kit option in 24–48 hours
• During July 2026, families who buy 2 or more preservation services can get free cord blood banking

If I had to sum it up in one line, it would be this: July is a reminder to learn early, ask your doctor early, and decide before delivery.

Why Awareness Before Delivery Matters

What Cord Blood, Cord Tissue, and Placental Tissue Contain

These three birth tissues are not the same thing. Each contains different stem cell types, and each plays a different role in medicine.

Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth. It contains hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which form the blood and immune system. These cells can turn into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Cord tissue comes from the umbilical cord itself, mainly the gel-like material called Wharton's jelly. It contains mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Researchers study these cells because they may develop into bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, and other connective tissues.

Placental tissue, especially the amniotic membrane of the placenta, is also a source of MSCs.

Collection takes place after the cord is clamped and cut. The process is quick, non-invasive, and does not interfere with delivery or bonding. And because these cells can only be collected at birth, it helps to learn about them before labor begins.

Current Medical Uses and Ongoing Research

Cord blood has the longest medical track record of the three. HSCs are FDA-approved to treat more than 80 conditions, including leukemias, lymphomas, sickle cell disease, and severe immune disorders such as SCID. Since the first successful procedure in 1988, more than 60,000 cord blood transplants have been performed around the world.

Cord tissue and placental tissue are in a different category. Their MSCs are being studied in more than 300 clinical trials worldwide for conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and osteoarthritis. These uses are still under study and are not FDA-approved for routine treatment.

Why Learning Early in Pregnancy Helps

Timing matters here. Since collection can happen only at birth, parents need to make a decision before labor starts.

Starting in the first trimester gives families room to look at their options, plan for the cost, and talk things through with an OB-GYN or midwife. That kind of early prep can make it easier to decide whether banking fits their medical history and long-term plans.

When Families May Consider Newborn Stem Cell Banking

Family Health History and Known Medical Risks

After parents get a handle on what these tissues are, the next step is simple: does their family have a reason to bank them?

If a family has a known medical risk - such as leukemia, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, or an inherited immune disorder - banking can become a much more urgent talk to have with a physician. In those cases, this isn’t just a nice idea to think about later. It’s something to bring up before delivery.

Even without a known diagnosis, some parents choose to bank because stem cell transplants may be needed later in life. That possibility alone can be enough to put the topic on the table. Awareness month can serve as a useful nudge to have that talk early, not when the delivery date is right around the corner.

Preserving for Possible Future Regenerative Medicine Uses

For some families, the choice has less to do with a current risk and more to do with keeping options open for the future.

Some parents preserve cord tissue or placental tissue now because MSCs are being studied in more than 300 clinical trials. That’s a different reason to bank. It’s not about a known family risk today. It’s about interest in where medicine may be headed and whether saving these tissues now could matter later.

That’s why it helps to discuss the topic with an OB-GYN or midwife early in pregnancy. The timing matters more than many people think.

Comparison Table: Established Uses vs. Areas Still Being Studied

This is where one key distinction matters: proven uses are not the same as research in progress.

Cord blood has established medical uses. Cord tissue and placental tissue are still being studied, and they are not approved therapies. Parents need to know which bucket their situation falls into before making a decision during pregnancy, while the window to collect is still open.

How Americord Supports Informed Choices

Preservation Options for Different Family Needs

Once the medical differences are clear, the next step is simple: turning that information into a plan that fits your family.

Americord offers three main preservation services: cord blood