The only risks involved are associated with the taking of blood from the mother on 2 occasions. This includes the discomfort of having blood taken, occasionally bruising of the arm (around 5% of cases) and to a lesser extent infection of the site where the needle was inserted (less than 1%). The woman may also wish to consider the implications of having her blood tested for viruses such as HIV / AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, and how she would feel if the blood test came back 'positive', revealing that she actually carried any of these viruses.
What happens to the cord blood after donation?
The cord blood is placed in a small esky and transported to the Cord Blood Bank laboratory within 36 hours. The blood is tested, processed and labelled with a non-identifiable number. The details of the mother and baby who donated the blood are kept confidential and separate from the cord blood.
The blood is then frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of below minus 196
o Celsius. It can then be stored for over 20 years, until required by a compatible child or adult needing a transplant for leukaemia or another rare blood disorder.
Read more about cord blood here