The resources below have been curated by AABB, all with a specific focus on the benefit they offer professionals, donors and patients interested in cord blood.
Traditionally, after birth, the umbilical cord and placenta were discarded as medical waste. However, we now know that this is a source of valuable hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells, which can have therapeutic benefits.
These questions are intended to assist with educating the public about umbilical cord donation. The content reflected herein represents commonly asked questions and are not reflective or representative of AABB Standards.
A presentation of the history of cord blood banking, including a timeline of progress within the field and related resources.
From time to time, blood and marrow transplant physicians and personnel involved in cord blood banking hear statements that are based on inaccurate information or conjecture. This document is intended to clear up such misinformation and provide facts regarding cord blood.
Since the late 1980s, umbilical cord blood and related birthing tissues have evolved from medical waste to a rich source of stem cells that can be transplanted to potentially restore normal development and function in patients with blood diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, inherited genetic disorders, bone marrow failure and immune deficiency diseases.
The Cord Blood Association Lifetime Achievement Award honored individuals who have made unique and transformative contributions to the field of cord blood banking, transplantation, and cord blood and tissue-derived cellular therapies for regenerative medicine.
The HPC, Cord Blood DHQ materials were developed by an AABB interorganizational Uniform Donor History - HPC task force to provide establishments with a standardized tool to screen allogeneic as well as related cord blood (HPC, Cord Blood) donors for communicable disease risk factors in accordance with requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), AABB, Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), and the National Marrow Donor Program.
Selecting the best cord blood unit (CBU) for your patient isn’t the same as selecting an unrelated adult donor. Different considerations go into your decision. You may have questions about what makes one CBU a better choice than another. That’s why we offer a Cord Blood Consultation service.
Research shows that OB/GYNs play a significant role in educating and encouraging mothers about cord blood donation. Your willingness to collect your patient's umbilical cord blood for public donation is a gift that brings hope to patients with life-threatening diseases who may need a transplant from a donated cord blood unit.
Dive into the latest insights in cord blood with this curated collection of on-demand sessions from the 2025 AABB Annual Meeting.
Cord Blood Connect at the 2025 AABB Annual Meeting (Available for Purchase)
4550 Montgomery Avenue
Suite 700, North Tower
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.907.6977
