Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following birth and is routinely discarded with the placenta and umbilical cord. Now a process called cord blood banking allows you to have your baby's cord blood saved for potential medical uses.

Your baby's cord blood is a rich source of stem cells, which are genetically unique to your baby and family. These valuable cells can only be collected in the minutes after your baby's birth. Preserving your baby's stem cells is considered to be a type of "safeguard," or biological resource for your family.

Collecting the cord blood poses no risk to your baby and collections can take place after vaginal or cesarean births. The collection procedure, which takes only a few minutes, is simple, safe, and painless.