Cord Blood Services
ITxM

In order to donate cord blood, arrangements must
be made in advance of the baby's due date.

YOU MUST request a collection kit/paperwork at least 4 weeks before your due date.  The kit will need to be taken to the hospital with the mother.

CORD BLOOD DONOR ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
The following guidelines are intended to answer the most often asked questions about who can donate their baby’s cord blood.  You will receive a more specific questionnaire to fill out when you receive your collection kit.  If you have questions about these guidelines, please call our Cord Blood Bank in Illinois at 1-877-GIV-CORD (1-877-448-2673) or in the Pittsburgh area, please call  (412) 209-7479.


Age:

• You must be at least 18 years old.

Pregnancy History:

• If you are having more than one baby (twins, triplets), you may not donate.

• If you used a sperm or egg donor, and you have a complete medical history of the donor, you may donate, if no history is available for the egg or sperm donor you may not donate.

Cancer History:

• If you are cured of local skin cancer (simple basal cell or squamous cell), you may donate.

• If you have or have had cervical cancer (in situ), you may donate.

• If you have had any other type of cancer, you may not donate.

Diabetes:

• If you have insulin-dependent diabetes and use bovine insulin please do not donate.

• If you have Gestational diabetes (only while you are pregnant), you may donate.

Hepatitis:

• If you have already tested positive for Hepatitis B (surface antigen) or Hepatitis C (antibodies), you may not donate.

• If you had the Hepatitis vaccine (shots), you may donate.

• If you have been told by your doctor that you had Hepatitis, please call the Bank to find out if you can donate.

AIDS:

• If you have AIDS or are HIV positive, you may not donate.

• If you could be at risk for AIDS/HIV, please do not donate.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases:

• If you currently have a sexually transmitted disease, you may not donate.

• If you have completed treatment for a sexually transmitted disease before becoming pregnant with this baby, you may donate.

Tattoos and Skin Piercing:

• If you had a tattoo placed within the last year (12 months), you may not donate.

• If you had a sterile piercing, you may donate.

Organ or Tissue Transplant:

• If you received a porcine heart valve, you may donate.

• If you received any other transplant or graft, you may not donate.

Malaria:

• If you had Malaria more than three years ago, you may donate.

• If you took antimalarial medication for travel, and finished the entire course of medication more than six months ago, you may donate.

• If it has not been six months since you finished the medication, or if you stopped taking the medication early, you may not donate for three years.

Substance Abuse:

• If you have ever used injectable (IV) drugs, you may not donate.

Immunizations/Vaccinations:

• If you have received an injection for Rubeola (Measles), mumps, yellow fever or oral polio within 2 weeks before delivery, you may not donate.

• If you have received an injection for Rubella (German Measles) within 4 weeks before delivery, you may not donate.

• If you have received an injection for Smallpox within 8 weeks of delivery, you may not donate.

Request more information or a collection kit.