Cord blood is the blood that is inside the umbilical cord and placenta when an infant is born. If the umbilical cord is clamped immediately following birth, that blood does not return to the infant. This blood can be harvested and sent to a cord blood bank. If the umbilical cord is left unclamped for a period after birth, as is protocol for mid-wifing and water birth, up to 180 mL of blood is returned to the newborn. Cord blood banks are facilities that store the blood that is harvested from umbilical cords. These facilities are either public or privately run.

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