How to Donate Cord Blood in Minnesota
Did you know that blood from the umbilical cord that nurtured your baby in the womb can help save the life of someone with a life-threatening illness? Depending on where you live in the United States, the process involved in donating your newborn's umbilical cord blood can be quite simple or extremely complex. In Minnesota, donating cord blood is not impossible, but it requires considerable research, planning and diligence on the part of the parents-to-be to make certain that the donation is done in a legal manner.
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Instructions
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Determine whether you meet the National Marrow Donor Program's eligibility guidelines for cord-blood donation. Some factors that may preclude cord-blood donation include: age; whether you have HIV or AIDS; a history of organ or tissue transplants; previous illnesses including cancer, hepatitis, malaria, certain types of diabetes, or STDs; and recent tattoos or piercings.
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Decide whether you would like the cord blood to be donated to a public blood bank for anyone in need to use or for research or saved for a potential later donation to an ailing family member. If you plan to keep your cord blood for a potential family member donation, it is likely that you will have to pay a private blood bank to keep the cord blood for you.
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If you decide to donate your cord blood to a public blood bank or for research, talk to your doctor or midwife before your 34th week of pregnancy to discuss the donation and to find out whether there will be any fees. In Minnesota, cord blood is not directly collected by the hospital for public donation.
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Contact Cryobanks International online and click on "Storage/Donation." Cryobanks International is currently the only cord-blood collection agency in Minnesota that accepts cord-blood donations for non-directed public use. Non-directed public donations are cord-blood donations that are available for any member of the general public to use, as opposed to donations that are earmarked specifically for friends or family members of the donor.
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Scroll down to "Donate the Cord Blood" and fill out the short online questionnaire. You will be asked a few brief questions about your medical history, as well as for your name, email address, city/state and ZIP code. Once you have entered this information, you will be invited to open a "Donation Enrollment Form."
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Carefully read and fill out the "Donation Enrollment Form" and take note of all items you or your delivery team will need to know in order to make your cord-blood donation legal in Minnesota.
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When you go in for delivery, remind your doctor of your desire to donate your baby's cord blood and give her any paperwork she will need to legally collect and process the donation.
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Tips & Warnings
You may want to consider saving your baby's cord blood for private use if you come from a family with a history of hereditary diseases that can be treated with stem cells.
Visit the National Marrow Donor Program's website to learn more about the benefits of cord blood and cord-blood donations.
Donating cord blood in Minnesota requires significant paperwork. Get started early to remain eligible for donation. You must contact Cryobanks International before the 34th week of your pregnancy in order to donate your cord blood through that organization, as it has a set limit on the number of donations it can receive each month.
