What is Cord Blood Bank

Cord blood banks recruit expectant mothers to donate their baby's umbilical cord blood for stem cell transplants. The blood in the umbilical cord and placenta is unique because it contains large numbers of blood stem cells. The blood stem cells from cord blood are being studied under research protocols as a new method for treating patients with life-threatening diseases. The cord blood banks collect, process, test and store the donated umbilical cord blood. Blood from each cord is frozen (cryopreserved) as an individual cord blood unit that is available to transplant.