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Cord blood is the excess blood found in the placenta and umbilical cord after your baby is born. It is rich in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that produce blood tissue in the human body.
If not collected at the time of your baby's birth, this precious resource will be discarded as medical waste. Learn more about cord blood.
Stem cells from cord blood are the "building blocks" of our blood and immune systems. They are capable of self-renewal and regeneration and have the amazing ability to repair and rebuild damaged tissue within the body.
More than 80 diseases and conditions are FDA-approved for treatment with cord blood stem cells, including leukemia, lymphoma, various anemias and more.
In addition to the 80+ FDA-approved treatments, more than 3,500 clinical trials have been initiated exploring new therapies using cord blood stem cells.
Research in regenerative medicine has shown potential to treat diabetes, cerebral palsy, autism, spinal cord injuries and heart disease.
It is estimated that as many as 1 in 3 people in the United States may benefit from stem cell regenerative medicine therapy, including treatments for type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, stroke, heart failure, liver damage, Alzheimer’s, and more.1
1 Harris DT. Cord blood stem cells: a review of potential neurological applications. Stem Cell Rev. 2008;4:269-274. Epub August 5, 2008.
Yes. The following have been approved by the FDA for autologous transplant (treating the child with their own stem cells): 1
In addition, many clinical trials have been initiated using a patient's own cord blood stem cells, including: 1
There are, however, some conditions for which doctors will prefer to use stem cells from a related donor such as a sibling or child. As such, it is recommended that you bank cord blood for each of your children.
Yes. Scientists have developed a method to expand the number of stem cells within a cord blood unit before infusing them into adult patients.1
Expanded cord blood units result in up to a 164-fold increase in the number of hematopoietic stem cells, making one cord blood unit suitable for transplant in an average size adult.
HLA, or human leukocyte antigens, are the proteins that control tissue compatibility. The closer the match, the less risk of a potentially fatal condition called GVHD, or graft-versus-host disease (also known as "rejection").
There is no risk of GVHD when a child receives his or her own cord blood. Within a family, there is a high probability of cord blood matching a sibling or parent, thereby significantly reducing the risk of GVHD.
Outside of the family, the situation is much different. HLA antigens are highly polymorphic, with hundreds of different HLA antigens found in the human population (roughly 750,000 possible combinations of three HLA antigens alone).1
Your best chance of providing a match for your family is to bank your baby's own cord blood.
GVHD, or graft-versus-host disease, is the leading cause of death following transplant surgery. Nearly 50% of all patients who develop GVHD will die as a result.1
GVHD occurs when the healthy cells of the donor tissue attack the immunocompromised cells of the recipient.
The risk of GVHD is directly related to tissue compatibility and the biological relationship of the donor to the recipient, which is described in terms of HLA matching.
Siblings and parents of the child that the stem cells came from will have the greatest chance of a perfect or close HLA match. The closer the HLA match, the lower your risk of GVHD.
Yes. The risk and severity of GVHD is much higher with stem cells from bone marrow than it is with stem cells derived from cord blood and cord tissue.
In addition, cells from bone marrow are more likely to have been exposed to latent diseases and DNA degradation.
Yes. Cord blood stem cells are distinctively different from embryonic stem cells.
Cord blood stem cells are collected from the umbilical cord after your baby is born, and if not saved are discarded as medical waste. There are no ethical oppositions to the use of cord blood stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells are derived from a process that inhibits the life of the embryo, which make them highly controversial.
No. After more than three decades and greater than 45,000 cord blood transplants worldwide, the use of cord blood stem cells is FDA-approved in the treatment of more than 80 diseases and conditions.1,2
The field of stem cell therapy is growing rapidly, and the future potential is unlimited.
There are more than 3,500 clinical trials initiated evaluating the use of cord blood stem cells to treat diabetes, cerebral palsy, autism, spinal cord injuries, heart disease, and many more. Scientists are also using cord blood stem cells to stimulate lung development in premature babies.
Saving your baby's cord blood gives your family the security of being able to take advantage of future advances in stem cell treatments.
Cord tissue is the actual umbilical cord and the cells contained within. It is an abundent source of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). Learn more about cord tissue.
Cord tissue stem cells, or Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), are the “building blocks” of the body’s skeletal and connective tissues. They have also shown the ability to differentiate into coronary tissue, hepatic tissue and more.
Cord blood and cord tissue yield two vastly different types of stem cells that can potentially be used to treat different diseases and conditions within the body.
Cord blood stem cells are called Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs). The primary focus in research with HSCs has been on blood and immune system disorders.
The stem cells derived from cord tissue are called Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Researchers have focused their efforts on connective tissue disorders and regenerative medicine with this kind of stem cell.
Saving both cord blood and cord tissue will provide your family with the widest potential scope of treatment options. Learn more.
Cord tissue stem cells (MSCs) represent the most advanced, cutting-edge discoveries in regenerative medicine today.
With over 2,300 MSC clinical trials initiated, scientists predict an explosion of new therapies will emerge, including routine treatments for diabetes, multiple sclerosis, stroke, heart failure, cirrhosis, bone fractures, autoimmune diseases and many more.
MiracleCord uses a process that saves all the different kinds of cells in the umbilical cord tissue. With our process we can consistently recover high percentages of viable stem cells after cryogenic freezing, which mitigates the issues with storing solid tissue.
The issue with storing solid tissue it that there is a cryo-protectant that needs to permeate the cell walls to protect them from crystalizing when frozen, but it can’t effectively do its job when freezing solid tissue because the tissue is so dense. This makes it very difficult to recover any viable stem cells with this method.
MSCs are considered to be immunoprivileged so they can potentially be used to treat an immediate family member with little risk of transplant rejection or GVHD.
No. Currently, there are no public cord blood banks that will collect, process and store MSCs for future transplantation.
Yes. Cord tissue stem cells can be expanded, which multiplies the number of viable stem cells to doses that are suitable for an adult transplant.
While cord blood stem cells have proven effective in treating many types of cancers, they have also been used to successfully treat many diseases and conditions unrelated to cancer.
A family history of cancer or other diseases may not be known, but families who save their baby's cord blood understand that these conditions can occur without precedent and without warning.
Studies have shown that cord blood specimens that have been cryogenically preserved for a period of 27 years have the exact same biological composition as they did at the time of their initial preservation.1
All available scientific data suggests that cord blood that is cryogenically stored at the proper temperature should remain viable indefinitely.
Yes, because each baby's cord blood is an exact genetic match for that child and offers the very best chance of survival, with no risk of GVHD, should they need a stem cell transplant in the future.
Also, in the event that a doctor recommends a donor cord blood transplant, siblings are the preferred source.
Lastly, there is approximately a 1-in-4 chance of parents being a match to each child's cord blood. Storing for multiple children increases the chance of a match being available for parents.
Separate storage is also recommended for multiple births (e.g., twins, triplets), as it maximizes the volume of cord blood collected.
Possibly, but 80% of all publicly donated cord blood samples are not stored for future transplantation1 so the odds of finding an unrelated HLA match from a public bank are very small.
When faced with a life-threatening disease or condition, you want to give your family the best chance of survival. Using your baby's own cord blood stem cells guarantees a perfect genetic match.
When a donor transplant is recommended, siblings are the preferred donor source due to their likelihood of being a suitable HLA match.
Privately banking your baby's cord blood and cord tissue with MiracleCord ensures that your family will have this valuable resource available for transplant very quickly, without the costly, time-consuming and potentially unsuccessful search that is necessary when looking to a public bank.
1 Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved 2016-31-May from PGCB: Cord Blood Introduction: Cord Blood Infographic: http://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/cord-blood-infographic
Public banks store unrelated cord blood units from donors. There is no initial cost to the donor; however, retrieving a cord blood unit from a public bank currently costs patients approximately $50,000, and this is often at a time when family finances are already strained.1
The unfortunate reality is that 80% of all donated cord blood samples will never be stored for future transplant.2 The chance of finding a donor match from a public bank is very low.
Private banks store cord blood units for your family's future use. Private cord blood banking ensures that your baby's cord blood stem cells will be readily available, and will give your family the best chance for survival if a transplant is needed.
1 National Marrow Donor Program. (n.d.). Retrieved 2010-11-January from NMDP: University of Chicago: http://www.marrow.org/PATIENT/Plan_for_Tx/Choosing_a_TC/US_NMDP_Transplant_Centers/Detailed_Center_Information/tc_idx.pl?ctr_id=557
2 Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved 2016-31-May from PGCB: Cord Blood Introduction: Cord Blood Infographic: http://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/cord-blood-infographic
Insurance companies typically will not cover the cost of cord blood banking unless you have an immediate family member that is in need of a stem cell transplant at the time that your baby is born.
Please contact your benefits administrator or insurance company for determination.
Though the decision to bank your baby's cord blood can be made any time before the birth of your baby, planning ahead has many advantages.
Early enrollment ensures that your family has plenty of time to receive your MiracleCord StemCare® thermal collection kit and to review the information provided within.
Since half of all babies are delivered prior to their expected due date, and 12% of all babies are born premature, families who enroll early avoid the risk of missing their only opportunity to bank their baby's cord blood.
No. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak does not affect your ability to have your baby’s cord blood and cord tissue collected and stored with MiracleCord.
Our laboratory and storage facility remain fully operational and we are committed to offering uninterrupted services to your family throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
At this time our medical courier partner continues to have the ability to pick up collection kits after birth without issue.
We are closely monitoring the CDC, World Health Organization and American Association of Tissue Banks best practice recommendations and following those recommendations for our laboratory and offices to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19.
No. According to the latest research, if you have COVID-19 during your pregnancy or even at the time of delivery, the virus will not be present in the umbilical cord blood or the umbilical cord tissue.
Note: There is a difference between studies that look for COVID-19 disease transmission between mother and baby, versus studies that test for COVID-19 in the cord blood.
Yes. Your child’s cord blood and cord tissue samples that have already been cryopreserved with MiracleCord are not impacted by COVID-19.
Yes. MiracleCord is a debt-free, profitable corporation with a long history of fiscal stability. Our financial stability ensures continuous operation of our laboratory, storage facility, and call centers.
Cord blood and cord tissue collection is simple, painless and poses no risk to mother or baby.
After the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut, your doctor or midwife will sanitize a small section of the cord and insert the collection bag needle. The excess blood that had remained in the placenta and umbilical cord after your baby's birth will flow into the collection bag by gravity. When the flow stops, the collection bag is sealed, labeled and ready for transport to the laboratory.
If you have also chosen to save your baby's cord tissue, your doctor will then cut a 6 to 8 inch segment of the umbilical cord and place it inside the cord tissue collection container.
A few small vials of the mother's blood will also be drawn and sent to our laboratory with the cord blood and cord tissue units.
Yes. There is no risk or pain to mother or baby.
The collection process occurs after your baby is born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. It does not interfere with the delivery or care of your newborn.
MiracleCord employs a method of processing cord tissue that saves all cell types, including mesenchymal, endothelial, epithelial, neuronal, hematopoietic and perivascular.
Our method of processing cord tissue consistently yields recovery of high percentages of viable cells after cryopreservation.
Yes, however in order to achieve best results with cord blood banking, it is recommended that you ask your doctor/midwife to limit the delayed cord clamping to a maximum time of 60 seconds after birth. Learn more.
Your MiracleCord StemCare® collection kit includes an FDA approved sterile cord blood collection bag that is safe for use in the sterile field, should you deliver by C-section.
No. MiracleCord's collection materials are Heparin-free.
The FDA-approved cord blood collection bag used by MiracleCord contains the anticoagulant Citrate Phosphate Dextrose (CDP). Learn more.
MiracleCord's StemCare® collection kit utilizes an FDA approved, sterile cord blood collection bag that is safe for use in the sterile field should a C-section be necessary.
Your MiracleCord StemCare® thermal collection kit will be sent to you as soon as you enroll.
Click here to Enroll Online, or call 888-743-2673 and our customer service representatives will be happy to assist you.
Any delay in processing your baby's cord blood and cord tissue can result in a significant loss of viable stem cells.
Studies have shown that cord blood processed within 12 hours of collection yields considerably more viable stem cells than when processed 24 hours after collection.1
Nearly half of the stem cells collected lose their viability when cord blood is processed 24 hours after collection.
Most cord blood banks have a published average time from collection at the hospital to processing at their lab of 24 hours or more.
MiracleCord’s exclusive TimeCritical® cord blood processing provides the unique ability to transport your baby’s cord blood samples to our lab for processing in significantly less time than most other cord blood banks.
1 Shlebak AA, Marley SB, Roberts IAG, Davidson RJ, Goldman JM, Gordon MY. 1999. Optimal timing for processing and cryopreservation of umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cells for clinical transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplantation 23: 131-136.
Shortly after your baby's cord blood and cord tissue have been collected, call 888-917-7447 to let us know your StemCare® collection kit is ready for pick up.
Our direct medical courier service is available 24/7/365 to retrieve your baby's specimens from your hospital room and quickly deliver them safely to our laboratory for processing.
Most cord blood banks that advertise the use of a medical courier service will either:
1. Have the medical courier drop-off your baby's specimens at a FedEx® or UPS® location near your birthing facility, and the conventional shipping company will then handle the transport to their lab, or;
2. Hold the specimens until the next day so a large batch is gathered. The courier will then ship the units as a batch to their laboratory.
Both of these methods used by other cord blood banks are cost-cutting measures that add a considerable delay to the transport time and can result in a significant loss of stem cell viability.
MiracleCord uses a medical courier service that will not transfer custody of your baby's cord blood and cord tissue to a conventional shipping carrier, and we never use a batch and hold method.
Your collection kit will typically be picked up within 1-2 hours from the time you call to request your pick up. It will then go next flight out directly to our lab facility for processing and cryogenic storage.
FedEx is a registered trademark of Federal Express Corporation; UPS is a registered trademark of United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
No. Cord blood and cord tissue should be kept at room temperature from the time of collection until the time the specimens are processed at our laboratory.
Exposure to high or low temperatures can result in a significant loss of stem cell viability.
The combination of MiracleCord's specially designed StemCare® collection kit with built-in thermal stabilizers, and our TimeCrital® Processing ensures that your baby's cord blood and cord tissue will be kept at the appropriate temperature while it is quickly transported from your hospital room to our laboratory.
Yes, we use a multi-compartment cryo-storage bag with five separate segments.
Some doctors charge a small fee for the cord blood and cord tissue collection procedure, which may be covered by your insurance company.
Yes. The laboratory and storage facility are AABB-accredited. This ensures that we adhere to the industry's most stringent standards for processing and storing cord blood stem cells.
Yes. The laboratory facilities are licensed in all of the lower 48 contiguous United States that require licensing.
Within a few days of your baby's date of birth MiracleCord will send an email to you confirming your baby's stem cells have been processed and are safely stored.
Your MiracleCord Certificate of Storage with a comprehensive laboratory report documenting the details of your baby's cord blood and cord tissue specimens will be available for download approximately 30 days after your baby's birth.
Yes. The AABB and FDA require several clinical tests to be performed on cord blood, cord tissue and maternal blood at the time of initial processing.
Some cord blood banks forego critical testing procedures that may ultimately limit your family's ability to use your baby's stem cells in the future. Without these tests, the FDA may restrict your child's stem cells from being released and used for transplant.
MiracleCord performs all required testing during initial processing to ensure compliance with AABB standards and FDA guidelines.
MiracleCord can cryogenically ship your baby's cord blood and cord tissue unit to a transplant facility anywhere in the world when it is needed.
Your baby's cord blood and cord tissue stem cells can be prepared and ready for shipment very quickly.
When your child's stem cells are needed for a transplant, please call us at 888-743-2673, and we will guide you through the process.
MiracleCord is honored to announce that we have received the biotechnology award for Best U.S. Cord Blood Bank of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 by Global Health & Pharma.
MiracleCord has been providing high-quality cord blood banking services for nearly 20 years.
Choosing MiracleCord means your family will receive unsurpassed quality and exceptional value.
No reputable cord blood banks offer placenta tissue banking. Unfortunately, the banks that are charging for this "service" are taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers.
This is because the stem cells derived from the placenta tissue are identical to those that come from cord tissue.
We have the ability to expand these stem cells by thousands of times, providing a virtually unlimited supply, therefore placental tissue banking provides no additional benefit whatsoever, and it is misleading and unethical for a company to charge customers for this.
Yes. MiracleCord uses a direct medical courier service to transport your baby's cord blood and cord tissue to our lab facility.
After your collection kit is picked-up by our medical courier partner it will go next flight directly to our lab. Each unit is carefully transported from your hospital room to our laboratory in a temperature-controlled environment by experts trained in the handling of biological tissue.
Our courier will not transfer custody of your baby's specimens to a commercial shipping carrier such as UPS or FedEx.
MiracleCord includes direct medical courier service with every plan, at no additional cost to you.
MiracleCord provides the highest quality cord blood and cord tissue banking services to families at affordable prices.
MiracleCord plans are all-inclusive with no hidden fees or additional charges.
Click here to view our pricing and payment plan options.
No. You can enroll any time before your baby is born.
Note: Since 50% of all babies are born before their due date and 12% are born premature, it is recommended that you enroll early.
You may enroll online or by phone. It is a simple process that only takes a few minutes.
Yes. MiracleCord is a debt-free, profitable, privately held corporation with a long history of fiscal stability.
