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Donate Umbilical Cord Blood

A joyous event for you could become the same for someone in need

In the past, when a baby was born, the umbilical cord was thrown away. But today, blood from the umbilical cord can be collected after your baby's birth and donated to a public cord blood bank to help someone with a life-threatening disease.

Donating is a simple thing. Receiving can be everything.

If you choose to donate umbilical cord blood, your labor and delivery are not affected. No blood is taken from your baby, only from the umbilical cord itself after your baby is born.

Get information to help you make an informed decision

Cord blood is changing lives today – Learn how umbilical cord blood offers hope
Options for cord blood – Understand your options
Cord blood donation FAQs – Find answers to your questions

Learn how to donate

How to donate cord blood – Get a step-by-step overview of the donation process, including your role, how cord blood is collected in the hospital and what happens at the public cord blood bank
Learn if you can donate – See medical eligibility guidelines for donation
Where to donate – Find out if your hospital works with a public cord blood bank and whether there is a public bank in your area

NMDP commitment to cord blood donation

For 20 years, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has matched donors and patients to facilitate bone marrow transplants and help save lives. Today, the NMDP is committed to partnering with cord blood banks around the world to build a strong network and inventory of high-quality cord blood units available to any patient who needs a transplant.

In 2006, the NMDP was selected by the U.S. federal government to operate the nation’s Cord Blood Coordinating Center. We are also conducting a research study on cord blood transplantation and patient outcomes. (Learn more about our network of banks in the United States — listed in Where to Donate — as well as international cord blood registries.)

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