FAQs: CBR Difference
Find answers to why CBR is the most experienced and trusted bank plus clarify common umbilical cord banking misconceptions.
Experience, Expertise and Standards
- What is unique about CBR?
- What does enrolling with CBR mean?
- What federal or state guidelines or regulations does CBR follow?
- How much experience does CBR have in providing cord blood for use in treatment?
- Does CBR have affiliations with research institutions?
- How many cord blood samples has CBR stored?
- Is CBR a financially stable company?
- How does CBR ensure the confidentiality of my personal information?
Collection, Processing and Storage
- How many healthcare providers have collected for CBR?
- How long has cord blood banking been available?
- Does my CBR CellAdvantage Collection Kit have to be kept at room temperature at all times?
- When and how is the cord blood collected?
- Is there anything unique about CBR's processing method?
- Does the hospital need to provide any materials for my baby's collection?
- Does the amount of cord blood collected matter?
- Can cord blood be collected after a C-section?
- Is there any risk to my baby or myself during collection?
- How is my baby's cord blood sent to CBR's laboratory?
- Where are my baby's cord blood stem cells stored, and how do I know they are stored safely?
- Shouldn't I choose a cord blood bank that is close to my home?
- What happens after my baby's cord blood has been stored successfully?
- How long will the cord blood remain viable in the kit after collection?
- How do I know that my baby's cord blood will not be confused with someone else's?
- If my family ever needs the cord blood sample, how do we retrieve it?
The CBR Gift Registry
- What is the CBR Gift Registry?
- Who can participate in the CBR Gift Registry?
- Who is able to contribute to a CBR Gift Registry account?
Common Misconceptions
- "There is no need to bank my baby's own cord blood because I can retrieve my or someone else's donated sample from a public bank."
- "I can donate to a public bank."
Experience, Expertise and Standards
What is unique about CBR?
CBR has been the leading innovator in cord blood banking for more than 15 years and is the #1 choice of Ob/Gyns and expectant families.4,15
- CBR is the most experienced cord blood bank. CBR has saved cord blood stem cells for more than 400,000 newborns and has helped many families use their stem cells for lifesaving transplants and other therapies.
- CBR saves more cord blood cells for families. CBR offers the best collection and processing technology available to save more cells.1-3 Having more stem cells for treatment can improve medical outcomes if the cells are ever needed.10,11
- CBR's long-term stability is well established. Our track record of financially-sound decisions demonstrates our commitment that we will be here for you in the future. Additionally, CBR's laboratory is located in Tucson, Arizona, one of the safest cities in the nation in terms of risk from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, winter storms, and tornados.6
Why CBR is the best in cord banking »
What does enrolling with CBR mean?
Enrolling with CBR means that you have decided to save your baby's cord blood with CBR, a family bank. Saving privately means that your baby's stem cells will be available for your family's use, should the need ever arise and the family member is an HLA match for the stem cells. There is a fee to save privately, but you will not be charged until after your baby's cord blood is safely stored.
Choosing the best stem cell bank »
What federal or state guidelines or regulations does CBR follow?
CBR's processing, quality-control, and quality-assurance metrics are in accordance with FDA guidelines in addition to being accredited by the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) and certified by CLIA (a federal program to ensure quality laboratory testing). In addition, we are licensed in the states that require special licensing, specifically New York (for both Cord Blood and Cord Tissue), New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, and California . CBR's quality management system is ISO 9001:2008 certified.
CBR brings superior quality to cord banking »
How much experience does CBR have in providing cord blood for use in treatment?
CBR has more experience providing cord blood for use in treatment than any other family bank. To date, we have released more than 200 samples for families to use. All of the cord blood units released for client use have been viable — the ultimate validation of our processing and storage methods.
Choosing the best stem cell bank »
Does CBR have affiliations with research institutions?
Yes. CBR has a long-term affiliation with the University of Arizona through Dr. David T. Harris, professor of microbiology and immunology. Dr. Harris was the first to preserve a child's own cord blood stem cells for future use.
CBR also has established leadership in advancing clinical research with newborn stem cells. We are the exclusive family bank partner for studies at several prestigious medical institutions, including Georgia Health Sciences University, Memorial Hermann Healthcare Institution and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health).
Advancing stem cell research »
How many cord blood samples has CBR stored?
CBR has saved cord blood stem cells for more than 400,000 newborns and has helped many families use their stem cells for lifesaving transplants and other therapies. Our long history of experience and proven track record delivers confidence in the quality and dependability of our service.
Choosing the best stem cell bank »
Is CBR a financially stable company?
Yes. CBR's consistent corporate leadership and financial stability is unparalleled in this industry. Our continued investment in the best technology and our state-of-the-art lab demonstrates our commitment to being here for you in the future.
State-of-the-art cord blood processing and storage »
How does CBR ensure the confidentiality of my personal information?
CBR takes confidentiality seriously. Because of the sensitive nature of families' medical information, all CBR employees sign confidentiality agreements. The collection and use of your personal information is governed by our privacy policy. Click here to view our privacy policy.
In addition, we use a range of security best practices, combined with enterprise-level network equipment and the latest malware protection software, to ensure your information remains confidential in light of ever-increasing, worldwide cyber security threats.
Exceptional customer service and client support »
Collection, Processing and Storage
How many healthcare providers have collected for CBR?
More than 35,000 healthcare providers have collected cord blood for our clients at more than 3,500 hospitals and birthing centers throughout the U.S. and in more than 80 countries. We have provided extensive educational resources and training to physicians, midwives, and hospitals to help ensure effective collections.
The #1 choice of Ob/Gyns for private cord blood banking »
How long has cord blood banking been available?
The opportunity for expectant families to collect and store their newborns' umbilical cord blood stem cells has been available since late 1995. Currently, thousands of parents are taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In fact, CBR has banked cord blood for more than 400,000 newborns.
CBR is a family business dedicated to helping families »
Does my CBR CellAdvantage Collection Kit have to be kept at room temperature at all times?
Yes. Your collection kit should be kept at room temperature both before and after your baby's cord blood and cord tissue collection. Never refrigerate the collection kit or expose it to freezing temperatures or extreme heat, like in a closed vehicle or car trunk.
Umbilical cord blood collection kit safety features »
When and how is the cord blood collected?
Cord blood collection occurs after birth, immediately after the umbilical cord has been cut. The remaining blood in the cord is drawn into a collection bag. Your healthcare provider can collect cord blood after a vaginal or C-section birth. The CBR CellAdvantage® collection system helps experienced providers collect more cord blood.
CBR's advanced stem cell collection system »
What's special about CBR's processing method?
CBR uses an automated processing method that helps ensure consistent quality across samples. Combined with our proprietary collection system, our processing method recovers the most stem cells, according to published data. Our 99% recovery rate is 20% higher than methods using Sepax® or Hespan®.1-3 This is important because having more stem cells for treatment can improve medical outcomes if the cells are ever needed for treatment.10,11
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CBR recovers more umbilical cord stem cells »
Does the hospital need to provide any materials for my baby's collection?
No. You will receive a CBR CellAdvantage Collection Kit from CBR or your healthcare provider. Your kit contains all the items your healthcare provider needs to safely and painlessly collect your baby's cord blood and cord tissue. However, you must remember to take the kit with you to the hospital when you deliver.
CBR's umbilical cord blood and tissue collection kit »
Does the amount of cord blood collected matter?
Yes. Typically, collecting more cord blood means collecting more stem cells. This is important because having more stem cells for treatment can improve medical outcomes if the cells are needed for transplant.10,11 That's why CBR's CellAdvantage collection system is designed to collect more cord blood. The combination of CBR's anticoagulant and superior processing technology yields us the highest published stem cell recovery rate in the industry.1-3
CBR recovers more umbilical cord stem cells »
Can cord blood be collected after a C-section delivery?
Yes. CBR's cord blood collection system is fully sterile and may be used following a C-section.
Umbilical cord blood collection kit safety features »
Is there any risk to my child or myself during collection?
Cord blood collection is safe and painless for you and your baby. Your healthcare provider does not need to alter the normal birthing process in any way, except to collect your baby's cord blood after the cord has been clamped and cut. Cord blood collection is a simple procedure that usually takes about 5 minutes.
Umbilical cord blood collection kit safety features »
How is my baby's cord blood sent to CBR's laboratory?
CBR's One-Step ShippingSM service makes returning your baby's collection kit to our lab as simple as a single phone call. After the collection, the labor and delivery staff will return the collection kit to you or a designated family member. The collection kit is pre-labeled and folds into a crush-resistant cube.
With one phone call, CBR's convenient One-Step Shipping arranges an express courier pick-up from your hospital room so you can relax with your new baby. Real-time tracking and next-flight service to our lab in Tucson, Arizona, helps us ensure fast delivery, which is important for maximum cell viability. You will receive confirmation from us as soon as your baby's cord blood is received and processed.
State-of-the-art cord blood processing and storage »
Where are my baby's cord blood stem cells stored, and how do I know they are stored safely?
Your baby's cord blood will be stored at Cord Blood Registry's state-of-the-art laboratory and storage facility in Tucson, Arizona, which is one of the safest cities in the nation in terms of risk from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, winter storms, and tornados.6 Our 80,000-square-foot laboratory is the largest newborn stem cell bank in the world with some of the most advanced technology in the industry. We currently have the capacity to safely store cord blood for more than 5 million newborns.
Our processing, quality-control, and quality-assurance metrics are in accordance with FDA guidelines, and we are accredited by the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) and certified by CLIA (a federal program to ensure quality laboratory testing). CBR's laboratory technology provides secure, long-term protection for your baby's stem cells.
State-of-the-art cord blood processing and storage »
Shouldn't I choose a cord blood bank that is close to my home?
The safety and viability of your baby's stem cells are far more important than the proximity of the storage location to your home. Therefore, a safe geographic location combined with a high-quality processing system are the most important factors when it comes to choosing a bank. Should your family ever need them, CBR will quickly ship your stem cells to any medical center in the world.
- Having the most stem cells for treatment and ensuring the long-term safety and viability of those cells is important. CBR goes above and beyond: with the exclusive CBR CellAdvantage® system, every detail has been diligently developed, resulting in the best technology available for collecting, processing, and storing cord blood stem cells.
- CBR has helped more clients use their stem cells for transplants and experimental regenerative medicine therapies than any other family bank. All of the stem cell units released for client use have been viable for treatment.
It is also important for the bank's laboratory and storage facility to be in a location that is not subject to major environmental disasters:
- CBR's laboratory is located in Tucson, Arizona, one of the safest cities in the nation in terms of risk from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, winter storms, and tornadoes.6
Most families will require long-term storage. Therefore, it is important to choose a cord blood bank that is financially stable and more likely to be there if you need your stem cells:
- CBR's track record of long-term stability and financial strength demonstrates our commitment to being here for you in the future
State-of-the-art cord blood processing and storage »
What happens after my baby's cord blood has been stored successfully?
As part of our complete customer service, we notify each of our clients after their newborns' stem cells have been stored. If you provide CBR with your email address, you will receive instant notification the moment your baby's cord blood is received at our lab. You will also be contacted by phone within seven business days of the sample being processed. Your baby's Certificate of Deposit will be available through your online account three weeks after the cord blood has been received. This certificate can be viewed and printed for your records.
$50,000 quality guarantee on cord banking services »
How long will the cord blood remain viable in the kit after collection?
For the best results, we recommend our clients call the One-Step Shipping number as soon as possible after collection. With CBR's One-Step Shipping, the collection kit is typically delivered to CBR's Arizona facility from anywhere in the U.S. in less than 24 hours.
To be safe, CBR uses dry heparin anticoagulant to help ensure collections remain viable in the case of unavoidably long shipping times.
Benefits of heparin anticoagulant »
How do I know that my baby's cord blood will not be confused with someone else's?
Your baby's cord blood is constantly tracked and easily found through our identification system:
1. Unique identifier (bar code). When you enroll with CBR, your baby's collection kit is assigned a bar code. This same identifier remains with your baby's cord blood kit, paperwork, and sample all the way to storage.
2. Client bar code label. Your cord blood sample is easily identified by the Client ID label, which is permanently attached to the storage bag. Each sample is encased in an outer protective layer to ensure the barcode never detaches from the sample.
3. Once your baby's cord blood is stored, the storage location is logged in our computer system, which we back up to tape daily.
Your umbilical cord stem cells from hospital to bank »
If my family ever needs the cord blood sample, how do we retrieve it?
Should the need arise, CBR will work with your physician to make arrangements for confirmatory testing, release, and transportation of your baby's stem cells to a designated hospital.
Meet our Transplant Coordinator committed to customer service »
The CBR Gift Registry
What is the CBR Gift Registry?
The CBR Gift Registry provides an easy way for family members and friends to support your decision to bank your newborn's stem cells. CBR's personalized gift registry enables parents-to-be to receive financial contributions toward the cost of banking with CBR by helping you:
- Announce the decision to bank your newborn's stem cells for potential future use
- Invite family, friends, and your entire social network to contribute to the gift of banking
- Send customized email announcements or print contribution cards that can be added to baby shower invitations
- Gather small contributions that could add up to pay for the cost of banking
- CBR's secure online payment process allows flexible contribution amounts
- Instantly be notified of all contributions and stay up-to-date on your balance
- Use your gift registry as a “savings account” and make monthly contributions before your due date!
- Educate others on the current and emerging benefits of newborn stem cell banking
- Get the latest stem cell news and share videos of real families who have benefited from newborn stem cell therapies
CBR's gift registry for expecting mothers »
Who can participate in the CBR Gift Registry?
The CBR Gift Registry is available to any family that is interested in storing their child's newborn stem cells with CBR. You do not have to be enrolled with CBR's cord blood banking service in order to start your gift registry.
CBR's gift registry for expecting mothers »
Who is able to contribute to a CBR Gift Registry account?
Parents who register with the CBR Gift Registry can easily share their personalized registry page via email, printed announcement cards, or through various online social networks. Anyone can contribute prior to your baby's birth. Your CBR Gift Registry will automatically close when your newborn's sample is received and stored. If a contributor has specific questions about our gift registry, they may call 1-877-CORD-BLOOD (Mon-Fri: 6am - 5:30pm PST).
CBR's gift registry for expecting mothers »
Common Misconceptions
Misconception:
"There is no need to bank my baby's own cord blood because I can retrieve my or someone else's donated sample from a public bank."
Fact:
When you donate for public use, if the sample is eligible and stored, the cord blood may be available to any patient who needs a transplant, so you cannot assume that it will be available for your family if ever needed.
- For families to make an informed decision, it is important to understand that not all donated samples are banked. As many as 71% of donations may be rejected by public banks based on family medical history, maternal medical history, collection volume, and examination of the maternal blood sample.32
- Private banking helps ensure that your baby's cord blood is saved and available for your family if ever needed.
If someone in your family needs stem cells, the most important considerations are:
- Quality of the sample – Collected, processed, and stored so that sterility and stem cell count are optimized
- Matching donor – Stem cells from a matched relative (preferably a sibling) are generally the best treatment option in transplant situations, such as cancers and blood disorders. For those cases, having a matched family member's cord blood available may have significant advantages, including fewer complications, improved survival, and a better quality of life without the need for anti-rejection medications.28,29
- Access to a matching sample – Many patients are unable to find a donor in the public system, especially those who belong to minority ethnic groups that are not adequately represented in public banks.33 There is no guarantee that a matched sample will be available in a public bank or within your family.
For current experimental regenerative medicine applications, the child's own cord blood is required, so storing your baby's cord blood in a family bank is the only option.
"A patient's best chance of finding a match is with a brother or sister."
-National Marrow Donor Program
Why expecting parents bank their baby’s stem cells »
Misconception:
"I definitely can donate to a public bank."
Fact:
Donating to a public bank may not be possible for several reasons:
- Only certain hospitals are able to collect cord blood donations, so not all families can donate.
- Based on requirements for the donor and cord blood donation, many families are not eligible for donation for a variety of reasons, including family health history, maternal exposure to viruses, and international travel.
- As many as 71% of donations may be rejected by public banks based on family medical history, maternal medical history, collection volume, and examination of the maternal blood sample.32
- If families decide too late, they may be denied access to donating.
