Risks Associated With Cord Blood Donation

Cord blood donation is relatively new, so many people worry that donating blood or having it stored in a family bank will expose their baby to risks not worth the donation. Many people decline cord blood storage because they are afraid of the unknown. If you are working with a well-educated medical staff the risks associated with cord blood donation are virtually none.

 

Cord blood collection is medically safe for both the mother and child, and can be safely done in both vaginal and cesarean section births. The process is quick and simple, and when planned for, it’s a very routine process. Working with a doctor and medical staff that has experience with cord blood donation will make the process even more routine.

 

Cord blood donation does not change the birthing process at all. The mother will typically deliver the child as she normally would, and then the umbilical cord is clamped. After the umbilical cord is clamped and the placenta is delivered, trained staff members will drain the blood from the umbilical cord. The amount collected is usually three to five ounces, and it takes less than ten minutes. Neither the mother nor the child has to be present for the draining of the blood.

 

The only medical condition that has been reported to take care to avoid is anemia. Apparently, if the cord is clamped too quickly after delivery, there will be more blood in the cord, but it will rob the child of blood that he or she needs to avoid anemia. Again, if you are working with a trained staff you’ll find that this is not something that you have to worry about all that much. Risk of clamping the umbilical cord at the wrong time is always there, but this is where a good doctor comes in and ensures that your child’s well being is not going to be risked whether or not you are donating cord blood.

 

Anemia is a rare occurrence, and is not typically associated with cord blood collection. Usually, only good comes from cord blood collection whether or not you have it donated to a public bank or have it stored privately for your own personal use. If the health risks associated with cord blood donation are what has held you back from making the decision to do it, you might want to rethink it.

 

Cord blood donation is safe for the mother, safe for the baby, and will only provide hope and help in the future. The risk in not collecting cord blood is probably more substantial than if you do collect it, so allow the absence of risks to make you more comfortable with blood cord donation.

 

Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.

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