Cord Blood Awareness Month 2025: History, Timeline & Importance!

Did you know that July is Cord Blood Awareness Month? This month is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cord blood. Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born.¹ It is rich in stem cells, which can be used to treat a variety of diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia.^2,3,4 Cord blood stem cells can also be used to treat diseases that are associated with bone marrow failure syndrome.⁵ This makes cord blood a crucial resource for patients who need a stem cell transplant! 

There are many reasons why it is important to observe Cord Blood Awareness Month. One reason is to educate people about the benefits of cord blood banking. Another reason is to encourage people to donate their cord blood. Cord blood donation is a safe and easy way to give back to the community and help save lives. In this blog, we’ll go over the Cord Blood Awareness Month history, timeline and importance. And we will also be discussing some common FAQs, along with its benefits!

Cord Blood Awareness Month History 

The first cord blood transplant was performed in Paris in 1988 to treat a rare genetic disorder called Fanconi anemia.^6,7 Fanconi anemia is a genetic disorder that affects the development of blood cells. Patients with Fanconi anemia have a high risk of developing cancer, and they often have organ defects and failures.^8,9

Despite the challenges posed by this devastating disease, researchers were able to find a successful way to treat a child with Fanconi anemia. The patient received transplant treatment with the cord blood stem cells of their sibling, opening new avenues of treatment and inspiring hope in the potential of cord blood!⁷

Since then, thousands of cord blood transplants have been performed on children and adults with various medical conditions. Cord blood transplants have been particularly effective in treating conditions such as metabolic disorders, blood cancers, and genetic disorders.⁶

Cord Blood Awareness Month Timeline

Let’s take a glance at the past and discover some significant moments in the history of cord blood banking and cord blood stem cells transplantation.^6,10,11

Cord Blood Awareness Month Importance

Every day, many babies are born with conditions that were once thought to be incurable. However, thanks to the discovery of cord blood stem cells, many of these conditions can now be treated. Though, sadly, there are still many parents who are not aware of the benefits of cord blood stem cells. 

Therefore, it is important to celebrate Cord Blood Awareness Month to raise awareness of the benefits of cord blood stem cells. This can help to ensure that more parents are well informed about this life-saving treatment option, and that even more families can benefit from it.

As per the ICMR guidelines for umbilical cord blood banking, it is the democratic right of an expectant couple to be made aware of possible cord blood banking options as well as its usefulness either to their baby or any other family member.

Interesting Facts About Cord Blood!

So far, you’ve learned about the history and timeline of cord blood, now it’s time to learn few interesting facts about it. ^{12,13,14,15,16}

Cord Blood FAQs

Q1. What Is Cord Blood?

As discussed earlier, cord blood is the blood that is extracted from the umbilical cord of a newborn. It’s rich in stem cells which can be used to treat many cancerous or non-cancerous diseases.¹

Q2. How Is Cord Blood Stored?

The cord blood unit undergoes processing to be prepared for cryopreservation. After this, it is carefully enclosed and sealed in cryo-bags. These cryo-bags are then frozen and transferred to cryo-vessels. The cells are frozen at a temperature below -196℃ and stored in vapor-phase liquid nitrogen within stainless steel cryo tanks.¹⁷

Q3. What Are Community Cord Blood Banks?

Community cord blood banks are shared pools of cord blood where families can preserve their newborn’s stem cells exclusively. This allows community members to find a perfect match for donor stem cells.¹⁸

Q4. How Can I Preserve My Newborn’s Cord Blood?

To enroll with LifeCell’s cord blood banking, all you need to do is call us @ 1800-266-5533 Or simply click here.

Parting Thoughts!

Cord blood awareness has come a long way since the first cord blood transplant was performed in 1988. In the early days, cord blood banking was a relatively new and untested procedure. However, over the past few decades, there has been a growing body of research that has demonstrated the potential of cord blood stem cells to treat a variety of diseases. 

Today, cord blood awareness is more important than ever. As more and more people learn about the benefits of cord blood banking, the demand for cord blood is increasing. This is why commemorating Cord Blood Awareness Month is even more important.

Ladies and gentlemen - it's high time for us to come together and raise awareness about cord blood. This Cord Blood Awareness Month, do your part, spread the word or simply share this blog with family and friends. Because, you’ll never know when this simple step of yours’ can prove to be life-saving for someone else!