Cord Blood Awareness Month

What is cord blood?

Cord blood is blood from the human umbilical cord, a source of stem cells.

What is cord blood used for?

Cord blood contains blood-forming stem cells that can be used in the treatment of patients with blood cancers such as leukemias and lymphomas, as well as certain disorders of the blood and immune systems, such as sickle cell disease and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

How long is cord blood good for?

Cord blood banking has only been around for 25 years, no scientific data is available to prove cord blood stem cells can be stored for longer than that. However, scientists have reported that cryogenically preserved cells have no expiration date, and frozen cord blood possibly can be stored indefinitely.

For more information about cord blood awareness please go to March of Dimes.