Q II. What about donating my baby's cord blood?
In Australia, there is a 'Cord Blood Donation' scheme conducted by various Cord Blood Banks in most capital cities. The cord blood banks devote their resources to the collection, processing, storage and distribution of cord blood. The cord blood is voluntarily donated from the placentas and cords (or afterbirths) of mothers who give birth to term babies (over 36 weeks gestation). Donated blood is processed and stored for use as a treatment to cure compatible children and adults suffering from leukaemia and some cancers.
Cord blood collected from placentas and cords is rich in blood stem cells. Stem cells have the amazing capacity to be able to continuously reproduce other blood cells (similar to our own bone marrow). It is this unique quality of a newborn baby's cord blood that makes it possible to be used (instead of bone marrow transplants), to help treat and in some cases cure illnesses like leukaemia. The actual treatment is called 'haemopoietic stem cell transplantation'.
Cord blood donation is voluntary, therefore the woman gives consent before the birth of her baby, after the donation process has been explained to her. The cord blood donation program is only available at certain large, metropolitan hospitals (and some birth centres) and a few accessible country hospitals where Cord Blood Bank laboratories are close by and the licensed collection service is available.
At present these birthplaces are limited to a few major public and private maternity hospitals in (or close to) Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane (in Australia). It is not possible for women planning a homebirth to donate their cord blood. If you wish to read more about how the cord blood is donated and what is involved you can read
cord blood donation.