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Most hospitals routinely collect cord blood for testing at birth, since it is relatively convenient and the only time possible to collect such blood. Besides cord blood testing, cord blood can be used to treat certain types of bone marrow-related cancers. Some parents may choose to save (bank) their child's cord blood for this and other, future medical purposes.
Cord blood banking for personal use is done by private companies, which charge for the service. Cord blood can also be donated to your local blood bank for use by others as needed to treat leukemia and other cancers.
American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Hematology/Oncology, American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Allergy/Immunology, Lubin BH, Shearer WT. Cord blood banking for potential future transplantation. Pediatrics 2007;119(1):165-170.
Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007.
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