Placentra Cord Banking - After a baby is delivered, the mother's body releases the placenta, the temporary organ that transferred oxygen and nutrients to the baby while in the mother's uterus. Until recently, in most cases the umbilical cord and placenta were discarded after birth without a second thought. But during the 1970s, researchers discovered that umbilical cord blood could supply the same kinds of blood-forming (hematopoietic) stem cells as a bone marrow donor. And so, umbilical cord blood began to be collected and stored

Placenta Cord Banking - Banking stem cells from 2 usable sources of stem cell-rich blood: the umbilical cordand the placenta. This service is called Placenta-Cord banking Banking placental blood in addition to cord blood doubles the number of segments preserved and increases the total number of stem cells available.1 This is important for 2 reasons. First, transplanting more stem cells has been shown to increase the probability of transplant success and survival.2-4 Second, having multiple segments available may offer the potential to treat additional conditions that may affect your baby and/or other close family members (blood relatives).

Committee shaping plan to collect life-saving umbilical cord blood "Under the plan, Connecticut mothers who have just delivered babies could opt to donate their post-birth umbilicalcord and placenta to a public blood bank. The donated cord blood, which is rich with stem cells, could be extracted and then transplanted ..."