Umbilical cord blood cells are not the same as embryonic stem cells.

If umbilical cord blood is not donated or saved, it is thrown away and gone forever.

Umbilical cord blood collected after the birth of a baby can save the life of someone suffering from leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and other life-threatening diseases.

Umbilical cord blood is quite rich in blood stem cells which can be transplanted into a sick patient when a bone marrow transplant is not possible, as cord blood does not have to match the patient’s tissue type as closely as donated marrow does.

Question - Are there are religious or ethical dilemmas associated with cord blood donations?
Fact: The Catholic Church supports donation of umbilical cord blood, as no form of life is destroyed. It is simply using this life-saving blood that would otherwise be discarded.

Question - Is donating cord blood costly?
Fact: Donating cord blood is free to the donor.

Question - Is donating your baby’s cord blood painful or harmful to your newborn?
Fact: Donating is painless and in no way harmful to mother or baby.