Louise 
Cord Blood & Tissue Banking -What Every Expectant Parent Should Know. An educational guide from The Honest Midwife, in partnership with Smart Cells.
Pregnancy comes with so many decisions. From choosing where to give birth to creating your birth plan, there’s plenty to think about as you prepare to welcome your baby.
But there’s one option that many expectant parents may not have heard about: the opportunity to preserve your baby’s stem cells at birth.
Cord blood and cord tissue banking is something you might have come across during your pregnancy research, but what exactly does it involve? What are the potential benefits? And is it something worth considering for your family?
To help expectant parents better understand their options, I have partnered with Smart Cells, a UK specialist in cord blood and tissue stem cell banking, to share clear, accessible information about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The most important thing is having the facts early enough to make an informed decision, whatever that decision may be.
“As a midwife, I want every parent to feel informed and to know what valuable services are available. Which to avoid and which to consider. Pregnancy comes with so many decisions, and it’s easy for some to get lost or overlooked. The decision to collect your baby’s stem cells can only be made prior to their arrival, because the cells can only be collected at birth. Whether you bank or not is completely your choice. There’s no right or wrong answer. I have teamed up with Smart Cells so you have the facts early, with time to ask questions and decide what’s right for your family.”
Whether you’re hearing about stem cell banking for the first time or have already started exploring your options, this guide will help you understand what it involves, why some parents choose to bank their baby’s stem cells and the questions worth asking before making your decision.
What is cord blood and cord tissue banking?
After your baby is born, the umbilical cord and placenta are usually discarded as clinical waste. However, the umbilical cord contains valuable stem cells that can be collected and preserved for potential future medical use.
Cord blood and cord tissue banking involves collecting these cells at birth, processing them and storing them at extremely low temperatures so they may be available if a suitable medical treatment is ever needed.
There are two main sources of stem cells within the umbilical cord, each with different characteristics and potential applications.
Cord Blood Stem Cells
Cord blood contains haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which have the ability to develop into different types of blood and immune cells.
These stem cells have been used in established medical treatments for more than 35 years. Cord blood stem cell transplantation is used to treat over 80 conditions, including certain types of:
- Leukaemia
- Lymphoma
- Sickle cell disease
- Thalassaemia
- Inherited immune system disorders
- Certain metabolic disorders
Cord blood stem cells are already an established part of transplantation medicine, helping to rebuild healthy blood and immune systems in patients with certain serious conditions.
Cord Tissue Stem Cells
Umbilical cord tissue contains mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), which are attracting growing interest in regenerative medicine.
Researchers are investigating their potential to support tissue repair, regulate inflammation and influence the body’s natural healing processes.
Research is exploring their possible applications in areas such as:
- Neurological conditions
- Autoimmune diseases
- Joint repair and osteoarthritis
- Cardiovascular health
Although this research is promising, many of these applications remain experimental and are not yet established treatments.
By choosing to privately bank both cord blood and cord tissue, parents can preserve two different sources of cells, each with distinct characteristics and potential medical applications.
Why do some parents choose to store their baby’s stem cells?
For many families, the decision to store their baby’s stem cells is about keeping an additional medical option available for the future.
We can’t predict what medical advances may happen in the years ahead, or whether our children will ever need access to stem cell treatments. However, preserving these cells at birth means they may be available should a suitable medical need arise.
Here are some of the reasons parents consider private cord blood and tissue banking.
1. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Your baby’s cord blood and tissue can only be collected at birth. Once the umbilical cord has been discarded, the opportunity to preserve these particular cells is gone.
This is why it’s worth finding out about the option during pregnancy, rather than waiting until after your baby arrives.
2. Access to established medical treatments
Cord blood stem cells are already used in transplantation medicine to treat a range of serious blood disorders, certain cancers and immune system conditions.
Preserving cord blood may provide a potential source of stem cells for an appropriate future treatment, although whether a stored sample can be used will depend on the condition, cell dose and other clinical requirements.
3. Potential benefits for other family members
A baby’s own stored cord blood cells are genetically matched to them, although this doesn’t mean they will be suitable for treating every condition.
In some circumstances, stored cord blood may also be suitable for a sibling or another family member, depending on tissue compatibility and medical requirements.
4. Preserving opportunities for future developments
Stem cell research continues to evolve, with scientists investigating new ways these cells might be used in medicine.
By preserving cord blood and tissue, families may be keeping open the possibility of accessing future treatments, should research lead to safe, effective and approved clinical applications.
5. Peace of mind
For some parents, knowing they’ve taken the opportunity to preserve their baby’s stem cells offers reassurance.
While there are no guarantees that stored cells will ever be needed or suitable for treatment, some families value knowing that this additional option may be available in the future.
Of course, private stem cell banking isn’t something every family will choose, and that’s absolutely fine. Understanding both the potential benefits and the limitations is an important part of making an informed decision.
A Midwife’s Perspective: Making Informed Choices During Pregnancy
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of decisions that come with pregnancy, you’re certainly not alone.
Between antenatal appointments, preparing for labour, researching baby essentials and thinking about your birth preferences, there’s a lot to take in.
Cord blood and tissue banking is one of those choices that parents may not encounter until later in pregnancy, when there’s already plenty on their minds.
“Pregnancy comes with an overwhelming amount of information. Some days it can feel as though the list of decisions is endless. I hear this a lot in my classes, and I always tell parents the same thing. You don’t need to know everything. You just need enough information to feel confident that you are making informed decisions.
Cord blood and tissue banking is one of those choices that needs to be understood before labour begins. It helps to know what’s involved, what the potential benefits are and how it fits with your birth preferences. Some parents like knowing they’ve kept an extra medical option open for the future. Others decide it isn’t for them. Both are completely fine.
If you’re thinking about it, a few questions can help. What do I need to know before I decide? How will collection fit with my birth plan? Who do I need to tell, and when? Jotting your questions down is a good place to start.”
The important takeaway? You don’t need to become an expert in stem cell science to make an informed decision.
It’s about understanding what banking involves, knowing the potential benefits and limitations, and deciding whether it feels right for your family.
How is cord blood and tissue collected at birth?
One of the biggest questions parents have about cord blood banking is whether collection will affect their birth experience.
The reassuring news is that cord blood and tissue collection is a straightforward, non-invasive process carried out after your baby has been born.
If you choose to bank your baby’s stem cells privately with a provider such as Smart Cells, here’s what the process typically looks like.
1. Before birth: Making your arrangements
Once you’ve booked with Smart Cells, you’ll receive a stem cell collection kit to take to hospital when you go into labour.
A trained phlebotomist (a healthcare professional who collects blood samples) will also be arranged for your baby’s birth.
Smart Cells provides a 24/7 on-call collection service, so your phlebotomist can be contacted when labour begins and can attend the hospital to carry out the collection.
2. After birth: Collecting your baby’s stem cells
Once your baby has been born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut, cord blood can be collected from the remaining cord and placenta.
A section of the umbilical cord can also be collected for cord tissue processing and storage.
Because collection takes place after the cord has been cut, the procedure itself is painless for both mother and baby.
Cord blood collection may also be possible alongside delayed cord clamping, although the timing of clamping can affect the amount of blood available for collection.
Your baby’s wellbeing and your clinical team’s advice will always take priority.
3. After collection: Transport and storage
Following collection, the samples are transported to the Smart Cells laboratory in London, where they undergo processing and quality checks before being cryopreserved at extremely low temperatures.
They are then securely stored for potential future medical use.
Will stem cell collection affect my birth plan?
It’s completely understandable to have questions about how cord blood collection might fit alongside your birth preferences.
Many parents want to know whether they can still have delayed cord clamping, uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and those precious first moments with their baby.
“One of the first things parents ask me is whether collecting their baby’s stem cells will change their birth. The reassuring answer is that it shouldn’t. Collection happens after your baby has been born and the cord has been clamped and cut, so it doesn’t get in the way of those first moments. Delayed cord clamping can still go ahead as you’ve planned, and skin to skin isn’t affected. If you’d like to bank, it helps to let your midwife team know in advance. That way everyone knows what to expect on the day, and you can relax and focus on meeting your baby.”
As with any aspect of birth planning, it’s important to remain flexible. Sometimes circumstances change, and the health and wellbeing of you and your baby will always come first.
If you’re considering banking, it’s worth discussing delayed cord clamping, collection arrangements and any other birth preferences with your maternity team beforehand.
Why It’s Worth Exploring Your Options Before Your Due Date
As your due date approaches, it’s only natural for your thoughts to turn towards meeting your baby, preparing your hospital bag and getting ready for labour.
With so much to organise, researching something like stem cell banking might not be at the top of your list.
However, because cord blood and tissue can only be collected at birth, it’s an option that needs to be considered during pregnancy.
Looking into it early gives you time to ask questions, understand the costs and decide whether private banking is something you’d like to arrange.
“When your due date is getting close, your head is full of other things. You’re thinking about meeting your baby, packing your hospital bag and getting ready for labour. That’s completely understandable.
That’s why I always encourage parents to look into their options early. If cord blood and tissue banking is something you’re curious about, finding out during pregnancy gives you time to think. You can ask questions, understand the costs, talk to your maternity team and make arrangements without feeling rushed. You can also check who you’ll need to call when labour starts, so that’s one less thing to think about on the day.
It’s also worth knowing that the NHS doesn’t routinely offer private storage. This is a personal choice, and it does cost money. There’s no pressure either way.
Even if you decide not to bank your baby’s stem cells, you’ll know you’ve looked at the option and made an informed choice. That’s what matters to me. I want you to feel calm and confident about your decisions, whatever you decide.”
Private cord blood and tissue banking involves a financial commitment, so it’s worth taking time to understand the available packages, storage arrangements and ongoing costs.
You may also wish to explore the difference between private banking and public cord blood donation, which is available through participating NHS hospitals.
There is no single right decision for every family. What matters is having enough information to make a choice you feel comfortable with.
Making the Decision That’s Right for You and Your Baby
When it comes to pregnancy, every family is different, and the same is true of decisions about cord blood and tissue banking.
For some parents, preserving their baby’s stem cells offers reassurance that they’ve kept an additional medical option available for the future.
For others, the costs, uncertainties and likelihood of future use may mean private banking isn’t the right choice.
Both are valid decisions, and neither should come with pressure or judgement.
The most important thing is understanding what your options are while you still have time to consider them.
Through this partnership, The Honest Midwife and Smart Cells hope to make information about cord blood and tissue banking more accessible, helping expectant parents feel informed, supported and confident in the decisions they make.
Want to Learn More About Cord Blood & Tissue Banking?
If you’re curious about preserving your baby’s stem cells, learning more about the process is a great place to start.
As part of our partnership with Smart Cells, you can request a free guide to cord blood and tissue banking, designed to help you understand:
- What cord blood and cord tissue stem cells are
- How these cells are currently used in medicine
- The potential benefits of preserving your baby’s stem cells
- How collection works at birth
- What to consider before deciding whether private banking is right for your family
Join Our Free Webinar
Join The Honest Midwife and Smart Cells for an educational webinar on 24th November at 6:30pm. It’s an opportunity to learn more about stem cell banking, understand how the collection process works and explore the potential benefits, giving you the information you need to make an informed decision during pregnancy.
Sign Up and Secure Your Place Now
https://thehonestmidwife.co.uk/classes/smart-cells-stem-cell-banking-qa/
This article has been created in partnership with Smart Cells to provide expectant parents with educational information about cord blood and tissue banking. Private stem cell banking is an optional, paid service. Please speak to your midwife or maternity care team about any questions relating to your pregnancy or birth preferences.
