Private cord blood banks collect, process and preserve cord blood for one family’s future use. In contrast, public banks make cord blood donations available to anyone.
Private cord blood banks: Store the donated blood for use by the donor and family members only. They typically charge a fee for processing and an annual storage fee.
Public cord blood banks: Don’t charge for storage. They collect donated cord blood for use by anyone who matches and may need it. They may also use it for research.