Pregnant Patients Must Be Given Information on Cord Blood Banking
Physicians and health care facilities are now required to give pregnant patients information on umbilical cord blood banking and donation under a law signed by Gov. Ed Rendell on April 3, 2008.
Act 12 of 2008, the Umbilical Cord Blood Banking Education and Donation Act, also requires that health care facilities allow pregnant patients to arrange cord blood donations.
Patients can choose to bank cord blood, which contains stem cells, in public or private banks.
Public banks—though not available in many places—accept cord blood for free from anyone and use it for research or treatment of anyone who needs it.
Parents may also pay to bank cord blood in a private bank and use the blood to treat an ill family member.
Patients can find more information on the Department of Health website.
Last Updated: 8/21/2008