Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank

About

Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank (CBS CBB) is a national, public cord blood bank in Canada that has been operational since 2013. We partner with select hospitals in Vancouver, Edmonton, Brampton and Ottawa, where dedicated CBS CBB staff collect umbilical cord blood. The cord blood units are then processed at one of our laboratories in Ottawa or Edmonton. The CBS CBB collects, processes, cryopreserves and distributes unrelated cord blood units in affiliation with Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry, which lists the cord blood units on the national and international registries. The CBS CBB is Netcord-FACT and AABB accredited for the collection, banking and release for administration of unrelated donations. The CBS CBB also operates the Cord Blood for Research Program, which provides access to fresh and frozen cord blood units that are not eligible for clinical use to researchers across Canada.

Who can donate cord blood?

Healthy, pregnant women, 18 years of age or older, can donate their baby's cord blood with their signed consent. The expectant mother must pass a health screening to ensure that neither she nor her infant has any diseases or medical conditions that could be passed on to a patient who receives their cord blood as a stem cell transplant. Expectant mothers may register to donate if they have reached 34 weeks or later in their pregnancy and are not having a multiple pregnancy (i.e., twins, triplets).

Where and when can I donate my baby's cord blood?

Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank has 4 collection sites in 4 cities:

1. Ottawa, Ontario, at The Ottawa Hospital General Campus;
2. Brampton, Ontario, in the Greater Toronto Area, at the William Osler Health System Brampton Civic Hospital;
3. Edmonton, Alberta, at the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, Royal Alexandra Hospital; and
4. Vancouver, British Columbia, at BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre.

If you are delivering your baby at one of the designated collection hospitals, please talk with your health care provider, doctor, or midwife during your prenatal visits regarding your interest in donating your baby's cord blood. They will provide you with information about Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank.  On the day of your delivery, simply arrive with your signed "Permission to Collect" form and let your nurse know of your intent to donate.

Does it cost money to donate cord blood?

No, there is no cost to mothers who donate their baby's cord blood. All cord blood donations to Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank are made through the generosity of each individual donor.

Contact Us

For additional information you can also contact us at 1-888-2-DONATE or visit us on-line.