What is cord blood donation?
The blood in your baby's placenta and umbilical cord is rich in valuable cells. These cells can be used for direct transplants to patients with blood cancers like leukaemia and other blood disorders. Additionally, they hold potential for cell research and the development of new cell and gene therapies.
Why is it important?
People from diverse ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented in the adult stem cell register, making it harder for individuals from these communities to find a match when in need of a stem cell transplant. As our world becomes more diverse, this issue grows more urgent. Our cord blood program was created to help address this gap, offering a vital alternative for those in need. By donating your cord blood, you can help increase diversity in the register and give more people a chance at survival.
How will it effect me?
There is absolutely no harm to you, or baby and we do not interfere with your birth plan. Usually the placenta and umbilical cord are thrown away after birth, instead our cord programme is here to make them lifesaving.
All we need from you is to complete a screening questionnaire to find out if you are eligible to donate and a blood test from yourself after baby is born to send off with the unit for testing.
Am I eligible to donate?
All cord blood units collected must be evaluated for the risk of exposure to or evidence of communicable diseases based upon medical reasons as well as lifestyle. Please look through the below questions.
If you answer ‘YES’ to the questions 1-25 you are not eligible to donate
| 1 | Have you ever had malaria? |
| 2 | Do you have Sickle Cell disease or Thalassaemia? (If Trait or carrier is acceptable) |
| 3 | Have you ever had cancer? |
| 4 | Have you, the baby’s biological father or any sexual partner from the last 12 months, ever been infected with or are a carrier of HIV, Hepatitis B or C, or HTLV? |
| 5 | Have you or anyone you have had sex with injected recreational or other non-prescription drugs in the past 12 months? |
| 6 | Have you or anyone you have had sex with injected body building drugs or tanning agents in the last 3 months? |
| 7 | Have you had sex after taking recreational drugs (excluding cannabis or a partner using erectile dysfunction drugs) in the last 3 months? |
| 8 | Have you had sex in exchange for money or drugs in the past 3 months? |
| 9 | Is this a surrogate pregnancy? |
| 10 | Are you a blood relation to the biological father of the baby? (1st cousins or closer) |
| 11 | In the last 12 months have you or any current sexual partners had a diagnosis of or suffered symptoms of Zika after travel to an affected area? |
| 12 | Have you ever been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (also known as CJD, vCJD, human mad cow disease or human scrapie) or Human transmissible spongiform encephalopathy? |
| 13 | During this pregnancy have you received a ‘live’ vaccine e.g. Rubella, BCG or yellow fever? If ‘Yes’ please name/ give target disease of vaccine (Please note Whooping Cough and Flu vaccine are not live vaccines) |
| 14 | Do you have the inherited condition Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (Disease)? |
| 15 | Have you taken any of the following drugs to treat acne? Etretinate (Tigason) - ever taken? Acitretin (Neotigason) – pregnancy started within 24 months of last dose? Isotretinoin (Roaccutane) – pregnancy started within 4 weeks of last dose? Alitretinoin (Toctino) – pregnancy started within 4 weeks of last dose? |
| 16 | Do you have a history of disease of unknown origin, or that could not be diagnosed? |
| 17 | Have you had chickenpox, shingles or toxoplasmosis during this pregnancy? |
| 18 | In the last 12 months have you received immunosuppressive medications (steroids, immunosuppressive drugs, antimetabolites, antibodies directed against parts of the immune system)? (If steroids for pregnancy related reasons, asthma inhalers or topical creams used tick “No” |
| 19 | Have you received hormones derived from the human pituitary gland (such as growth hormones, follicle stimulating hormone, Luteinising hormone, Thyroid stimulating hormone) since 1985? (If Thyroxine or Levothyroxine, or prescribed in a UK centre tick ‘No’) If Yes, please give details |
| 20 | Do you have a thyroid condition where you have taken anti-thyroid tablets within the past 24 months (includes carbimazole and propylthiouracil) or been treated with radioactive iodine in the last 6 months |
| 21 | Have you received a blood transfusion or blood derived product since 1980? If Yes, please state when and in which country. |
| 22 | Prior to August 1992 have you undergone brain (neuro) surgery or surgery for a tumour or cyst on the spine? |
| 23 | Have you ever received any transplant or graft with tissue or organs including those from non- human (e.g. pig heart valve) origin? |
| 24 | In the last 6 months have you had sex with a known Haemophiliac, or anyone with a blood disorder who receives treatment for it? |
| 25 | Have you ever taken or been exposed to toxic substances such as cyanide, lead or mercury or ingested gold at levels that could be transmitted to recipients and endanger their health? |
Please refer to the dedicated cord blood collector if any of the below are ‘YES’
| 26R | Do you or the baby’s biological father have a history of rapid progressive dementia or degenerative neurological disease (e.g. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease, MS or Transverse Myelitis), including those of unknown origin? |
| 27R | Have you undergone fertility treatment in the UK before 2003 or at any time outside of the UK? If Yes, please give details of all drugs taken |
| 28R | Was this pregnancy conceived with a donor egg or embryo? If Yes, which one egg/embryo was used and please name the clinic or service used |
| 29C | Was this pregnancy conceived with a donor sperm? If Yes, please name the clinic or service used |
| 30C | Have you been treated for syphilis or gonorrhoea in the past 12 months? If yes, provide further information: when was treatment, what was treatment, have you had confirmation that infection now clear? |
| 31C/D | Have you had more than 1 sexual partner OR a new sexual partner in the last 3 months? If yes Have you had anal sex in the past 3 months? |
| 32C | In the last 3 months have you had any acupuncture, tattoos, body piercing, cosmetic/aesthetic procedure involving needles (botox/fillers etc) or needlestick injury? If ‘Yes’ for any of them, please give more information – Date/ Where performed/Who performed (Name) |