Birth Tissue Donor Services | Donating Your Birth Tissue and Placenta

The Incredible Donors

The generosity of birth tissue donors like you enables breakthrough medical research to restore vision and heal surgical wounds for countless other people. The selfless donation of your placenta after your baby’s healthy birth can mean a life-changing outcome for another human life.

Testimonials Donor FAQ

Our Birth Tissue Donation Program

The placenta and portion of the umbilical cord, or afterbirth, is normally discarded after delivery. If you give permission for your afterbirth to be donated and you qualify for participation, the afterbirth will be collected by BTR rather than discarded. The collection of the placenta and its attached umbilical cord will take place after delivery of your baby. The collection will not affect the delivery or the care of you or your baby.

We invite you to read all about BTR, our company history and the wonderful people who work with our donors and science partners.

Purpose of Placenta Donation

The main purpose of birth tissue donation is to provide tissue-based products for wound coverings, diabetic ulcers, sports medicine, ophthalmology, spine, or dental procedures. Donated tissue is also utilized in the development of new clinical products or general research studies. Your participation is entirely voluntary.

Process for Donating Your Birth Tissue

A mother qualifies to donate if she does not have any diseases that could be passed on to a patient who receives transplant products made from the birth tissues.

To donate, you will be asked to:

Read, understand, and sign a consent form.
Complete a medical and social history questionnaire.
Allow blood to be drawn and tested.
Permit BTR to review, make copies, and retain portions of your medical record.

The consent, history questionnaire, medical records, and blood specimens are used to ensure the safety of tissue for use. You will complete a questionnaire similar to one used for blood donation. When someone volunteers to donate blood they answer a series of questions to help determine whether they have been exposed to any infectious diseases that might be present in the blood. The questionnaire will be completed during a brief, private interview.

In most cases, blood is drawn at the same time as the hospital draw so a second stick can be avoided. Your blood will be tested for several infections that could transmit disease through use of products made from birth tissue. Infectious disease testing is mandated by law whenever human tissue is used for transplantation. If necessary, we will report the results of these tests to your physician within 3-4 weeks. Your physician will discuss with you the meaning of these results.

The review of your medical record is strictly confidential. Information and documents are accessed only by trained, authorized personnel working in a secure environment.

Risks in Donating Your Birth Tissues

There are no significant risks related to donating your birth tissues.

The amount of blood drawn from you is small and not enough to affect your health.
Taking blood from you has a small risk of slight pain and bruising, lightheadedness, possible fainting and, rarely, infection.
Some of the questions that we will ask you are of a personal nature and may cause you to feel embarrassed.
The placenta is not needed by the baby after delivery.
If your doctor decides that the placenta should be evaluated after your baby is born, then it will be used for that purpose.

Potential Benefits of Birth Tissue Donation

You will be helping other people with products that heal wounds, or develop helpful new treatments.

Human amniotic membrane is a versatile, effective wound treatment, and in some cases has effectively treated wounds otherwise unresponsive to usual therapeutic measures.

Confidentiality in Your Birth Tissue Donation

Birth Tissue Recovery staff will attach a unique identification code to the donated tissue and the records related to your donation. We will keep the consent form, questionnaire, and any other records that have your identity at the offices of Birth Tissue Recovery.

To protect your privacy, we keep all information that contains your personal identifiers confidential and in a secure location, with access allowed only to authorized personnel.

We will not identify you or your baby in any publications. Our processes are HIPAA compliant.

Costs of Donating Your Placenta (Birth Tissue)

Birth tissues are normally thrown away after delivery.

There will be no cost to you.

We are prohibited by law from providing or offering monetary compensation or other valuable consideration to donors.

Participation is your choice.

Financial Disclosure

Birth Tissue Recovery LLC is a for-profit entity and is paid for its services. Hospitals are paid for drawing blood, computer use, and printing.

Laura, Placenta Donor

“I was more than happy to participate. The knowledge that I had the opportunity to give something back that would have been wasted; unless I requested my placenta it would have been tossed with the afterbirth.”

Carmen, Graft Beneficiary

“[My mother] explained that it felt like her own skin. It is so soft and the feeling was so real. She was very happy with it. She had two large ulcers and a couple of small ones and one ulcer was almost closed in a few weeks using that graft.”

Tiffany, Birth Tissue Donor

“My experience with donating my placenta was been very easy and quick on my end. I agreed to donate it because of the help that it provides to others who are in need. I would strongly urge others to donate their placenta to the Birth Tissue Recovery organization to help others. The process is extremely easy. After I had my son, someone came into my hospital room and spoke to me about donating my placenta. I agree and signed some paper work. I would definitely do it again.”

FAQs About Placenta Donation

Do I qualify to donate my birth tissue?

Most birth tissue donations occur from cesarean deliveries. In some cases, donation at vaginal delivery is possible. If you have questions please contact BTR and ask to speak to your hospital’s BTR donation coordinator.

Can I also donate cord blood?

Birth tissue donation will not interfere with your decision, if you have done so, to donate cord blood. You will be able to donate both your placenta and cord blood if you choose to do so.

Why do you need to review/make copies of my medical record?

You will be asked to permit BTR staff to review and, when necessary, make copies of your medical record, and obtain a blood specimen to help ensure the safety of tissue for use. A mother qualifies to donate if she does not have any disease that could be passed on to a patient who receives transplant products made from her birth tissues. The review of your medical record is strictly confidential and all information and documents remain private.

The medical record review, done by trained and experienced BTR staff, helps make sure the tissue is safe for use. All information is kept strictly confidential and no identifying information is shared with anyone. You will complete a questionnaire similar to one used for blood donations. When someone volunteers to donate blood they answer a series of questions to help determine whether they have been exposed to any infectious diseases that might be present in the blood. The medical review and questionnaire will be completed during a brief, private interview.

When do you collect the birth tissue?

If you give your permission for birth tissue donation, and you qualify, then BTR staff will collect the tissues after your baby is born. If you do not give permission for placenta donation, and your doctor does not want it evaluated, then it is discarded.

The donation and collection of birth tissues will not affect the delivery or the care of you or your baby. The final decision to donate is completely voluntary and will not affect in any way the health care that you and your baby receive from the hospital.

Are there any potential risks or discomforts with birth tissue donation?

Some of the questions that we will ask you are of a personal nature and may cause you to feel embarrassed.
There are no significant risks related to donating your birth tissues. The amount of blood drawn from you is small and not enough to affect your health. Taking blood from you has a small risk of slight pain and bruising, light-headedness, possible fainting and, rarely, infection. Most often, we will obtain your blood sample at the same time as other specimens that your doctor requests during your routine medical care. This way no extra needle stick is necessary.
You may ask to review the questions before deciding whether to participate.
If you give permission for placenta donation and your physician decides it is best that the placenta be evaluated after your baby is born, then it will be used instead for that purpose. You will be told if that occurs.

How does it help other people?

An indirect benefit of participating is that you will be helping others by the production of products that heal wounds or help prevent infection. Or, can be used to develop new beneficial medical products that help patients.
The birth tissues will not be used to make cosmetics or beauty products.

How do you keep information confidential?

Birth Tissue Recovery staff will attach a unique identification code to the donated tissue and the records related to your donation. To protect your privacy, we will keep all information that contains your personal identifiers confidential and in a secure location, with access allowed only to authorized BTR personnel.

Tell me how BTR will benefit from my donation.

Birth Tissue Recovery will provide the tissue to commercial entities for the manufacture of medical products. If BTR provides tissue to outside centers, then it will be paid for its service.

Are there any costs related to donating my placenta?

Birth tissues are normally discarded after delivery. There will be no cost to you for any aspect of the donation. We will not pay you for the birth tissue donation. Participation is voluntary. Choosing not to participate will not affect your medical care in any way.

What if I have more questions about donating my placenta?

You may ask questions any time during the consent process. Afterward, you may call Birth Tissue Recovery at (336) 448-1910 or send an email to info@birthtissuerecovery.com.