Mercy's Dr. Robert Atlas, OB/GYN, Discusses Benefits of Cord Blood Collection

The umbilical cord is a baby's lifeline in the womb, and after a child is born, the blood from that same cord has the potential to be a lifesaver for others.

Reagan is only 5 months old, blissfully unaware that a decision her mom made right before her birth may save others' lives. Tamira Dunn agreed to bank Reagan's cord blood, saying it was an easy choice.

"The information that I was given -- the children on there and how many lives it saved -- it was inspirational, and I felt like if I could be doing something to help someone else, why not?" Dunn said.

According to Dr. Robert Atlas, OB/GYN, Chair of The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mercy Medical Center,  cord blood donation is a good alternative to traditional bone marrow transplantation, and there are many patients in desperate need of a match.

"Especially in the African-American population, as well as the other populations that aren't as large as the Caucasian population, and there's a huge need for more donors," Dr. Atlas said. "The cord blood, which is a waste product for us, is a wonderful way to increase the storage possibilities of stem cells for those transplantations."

There are two kinds of cord blood banking. Private banking is for your own child, and you pay for it. Public banking is for anyone in the nation who needs it, and it is free, however, not enough people are choosing public banking.

To view Mercy ob/gyn Dr. Robert Atlas of The Family Childbirth & Children’s Center at Mercy Medical Center’s interview with WBAL-TV11 regarding cord blood collection, click here.