Cord blood banking in Singapore: donating publicly, family banking and what MOH says about private banks

Cord blood banking in Singapore comes in two kinds. You can donate your baby's cord blood free to the Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB), the country's only public bank, where it's listed for any patient who needs a match. Or you can pay to store it for your own family, either with SCBB's family banking or with a licensed private bank. MOH calls private banking an elective, for-profit service, and in January 2024 it said there had been 14 withdrawals for transplants since cord blood banking services began here in 2001. Since 26 November 2025, MOH has barred Cordlife from collecting new cord blood. Decide by your second trimester: SCBB asks donors to complete consent at least two weeks before the due date. This guide uses MOH, HCSA and the banks' own pages and doesn't recommend any private bank.

Your three options at a glance

You can't split one cord between public and private. SCBB explains that splitting would leave too few stem cells to meet international public banking standards.

Donating to the public bank

SCBB was set up in 2005 as a non-profit and is Singapore's only community cord blood bank. By June 2026 it had facilitated 325 cord blood transplants in Singapore and abroad, and it holds a public inventory of more than 14,500 units, all listed on international donor databases. SCBB says over 70% of patients rely on an unrelated donor, and about 60% of patients in Singapore each year can't find a suitable match from bone marrow donors or other public banks.

Who can donate and how

• You must be at least 21 when you give birth.
• Twin and triplet pregnancies are excluded, and so are high-risk pregnancies, so your doctor can focus on the birth.
• Register from your second trimester, and complete consent at the latest two weeks before your due date.
• Bring the endorsed consent form, printed or as a screenshot, on delivery day. Without it, no collection.
• About 30ml of your own blood is taken in the labour ward or delivery suite to screen for infections.

Donation and family banking are available at 10 hospitals: KKH, NUH, SGH and seven private hospitals, which SCBB says covers every obstetric hospital in Singapore. Donation is free, though if you deliver at a private hospital, ask whether your obstetrician charges a collection fee. Before the birth you also choose what happens if your unit doesn't meet donation criteria: research, conversion to paid family banking, or disposal.

If your donor child or a sibling ever needs the donated unit, SCBB charges no fee as long as a transplant doctor makes the request.

How collection and storage work

After your baby is born and the cord is clamped and cut, the blood left in the cord is drawn from the umbilical vein while you wait for the placenta. It takes a few minutes and doesn't involve your baby. SCBB processes cord blood within 48 hours into a bag of about 25ml, then stores it frozen. MOH's limit for storage tanks is -150 degrees C. According to SCBB, research has found good cell recovery after up to 20 years of storage.

Private and family banking: what to weigh

Paying to store your baby's cord blood buys an option for your family. Weigh it against what the public sources say:

• Use is rare. In November 2023 MOH said that utilisation of privately banked cord blood had been low, with seven Cordlife units retrieved for treatment since 2001.
• Your child's own cord blood often isn't suitable for them. SCBB doesn't recommend using a person's own stem cells for hereditary, genetic or blood diseases, because the cells may carry the same fault.
• Cord blood isn't the only source of these stem cells, MOH notes. Donors and public banks are the other options.
• Contracts are commercial. MOH says it isn't a party to them, so refunds, exits and transfers are between you and the bank, and you can approach CASE over contract disputes.

If you do want family banking, SCBB's version can be paid with your baby's Child Development Account, and its terms let you donate later instead of renewing. Our Baby Bonus and CDA guide and CDA calculator show what's in the account.

How cord blood banks are regulated

Cord blood banking is a licensed healthcare service under the Healthcare Services Act. MOH inspects every bank once every two years, each bank's clinical governance officer must be a registered haematology specialist, and breaches can bring fines of up to $20,000, up to 12 months' jail, or both. In November 2023 MOH named the licensed banks besides Cordlife as Cryoviva (Singapore) Laboratory Services, Stemcord and SCBB, and found no temperature problems of concern at those three.

MOH's actions on Cordlife, with dates

If you're comparing banks or already store with Cordlife, these are the steps MOH has announced:

Existing Cordlife clients can still have their units transferred to another bank or disposed of on their instructions. MOH warns that transferring units, locally or overseas, carries risks and should be considered carefully. We couldn't find a later MOH update, so check MOH's newsroom for the current position.

Making the decision

1. Decide by your second trimester, so there's time to register and consent.
2. Tell your obstetrician what you've chosen, and ask about any collection fee.
3. Put it in your birth plan, and pack the consent form in your hospital bag.
4. If you're paying for storage, read the contract for fees, length, exit terms and what happens if the bank stops operating.

Our guide to the cost of having a baby in Singapore shows where banking sits among your other costs.

Frequently asked questions

Is cord blood donation free in Singapore?

Yes. SCBB charges donors nothing for collection and banking. If you deliver at a private hospital, check whether your obstetrician charges a collection fee.

Can I use my baby's donated cord blood later?

A donated unit belongs to the public bank, but SCBB charges no fee if your child or a sibling needs it and a transplant doctor requests it, provided it's still available.

How much does private cord blood banking cost?

Each bank sets its own fees. Cordlife's price page lists $250 a year from age 1 to 20 with the upfront fee on enquiry, plus GST, though MOH has barred it from collecting new cord blood since 26 November 2025. StemCord and Cryoviva don't publish prices on their pages.

Is private cord blood banking worth it?

It's a personal choice. MOH says use of privately banked cord blood has been low, and SCBB advises that a child's own cord blood is not recommended for genetic or blood diseases. Donating publicly helps patients who can't find a match.

What should Cordlife clients do?

Cordlife can still transfer or dispose of existing units on your instructions. MOH warns transfers carry risks. Contract questions go to Cordlife, and you can approach CASE for help.