Cord blood banking

Novant Health Carolina Women's Health Associates works with Carolinas Cord Blood Bank to make it possible for our patients to donate their baby's cord blood to a public cord blood bank. This blood is taken from your baby's umbilical cord immediately after birth. Its collection does not affect you or your baby, and does not change your labor or delivery at all.

Umbilical cord blood is rich in blood-forming cells that can benefit patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood diseases. Cord blood transplants can help these patients in the same way a bone marrow transplant can.

By donating your baby's cord blood to Carolinas Cord Blood Bank instead of discarding it, you can give hope to sick patients. Your baby's cord blood will be entered on the national Be The Match registry to be matched with a patient in need of a cord blood transplant.

Donating cord blood costs you nothing and requires no extra effort beyond talking to your provider between your 28th and 34th week of pregnancy. If you are interested in donating cord blood, mention that at your prenatal appointment and our office will get you the information you need to see if you meet the criteria to make this donation.

Visit the Carolinas Cord Blood Bank website to learn more.