July is Cord Blood Awareness Month, which is a national campaign that aims to raise awareness regarding cord blood banking. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, and you want to learn more about cord blood banking, turn to Thameside ObGyn Centre in Groton, CT. This women’s health center provides quality prenatal care in a comfortable setting, and they can answer all of your questions regarding labor, delivery, and cord blood banking.

What Is Cord Blood Banking?

“Cord blood” refers to the blood found in the umbilical cord and placenta after delivery. This blood contains newborn stem cells, which can be used to cure more than 80 diseases. You can choose to donate cord blood to a public bank that accepts donations from local hospitals, or you can save it for your own family in case one of you ever needs a stem cell transplant someday. Cord blood banking simply refers to the act of storing this cord blood.

How Is Cord Blood Collected?

Collecting cord blood is an easy, noninvasive procedure. After the baby is born and your doctor has clamped the umbilical cord, staff will collect the cord blood and prepare it for public donation or for the private bank of your choosing. This process does not cause pain to the mother or the baby.

The cells found in cord blood can remain viable for a few days at room temperature, which allows the women’s health center to ship the blood to the laboratory. Once at the lab, the stem cells will be cryogenically frozen, and they will remain viable for decades as a result.

The stem cells found in cord blood can be used to treat various kinds of cancer, as well as blood disorders and metabolic diseases. If you are interested in banking your cord blood after delivery, turn to Thameside ObGyn Centre in Groton, CT, to learn more. You can explore the quality OBGYN services this women’s health center provides by visiting their website. Call (860) 445-5107 to make an appointment today.