With your consent, if you are delivering your baby via C-section, your placenta will be donated to Stemnion, Inc.*, with complete confidentiality. The placental tissue will then be used to manufacture investigational treatments that may promote rapid healing of tissue of burn victims and other types of wounds.

At a time when you are starting a new life with your family, consider giving the gift of your placenta to help others have a better chance at life.

Placental Tissue and Stem Cells
In the United States alone, there are more than four million live births each year. From each discarded placenta, about 300 million cells can be isolated. About 50 doses of this investigational medication for burns and serious wounds can be created from one placenta. Cells from adult tissues, umbilical cord blood and placenta (often loosely called "adult stem cells") can be obtained without harm to the donor and without any ethical problem, and these have already demonstrated great medical promise.

Who Does It Help?
Your act of giving will allow researchers to work toward a treatment to help those with second and third degree burns and other serious wounds. Stemnion, Inc.*, is also working closely with the military to study new treatments for injured soldiers.

How Will It Affect My Baby and Me?
By donating your placenta, there is no risk to you or your child. It will not be necessary for you to change any of your medical care routines.

How Do I Participate?
To participate, you must be having a C-section birth and you need to sign a consent form. Talk to your doctor and contact St. Joseph's Comprehensive Research Institute at (813) 870-4760. Your baby's delivery will proceed as planned and the only change will be the handling of the placenta. Instead of destroying the tissue, it will be packaged and sent to Stemnion, Inc.*

Why Only C-section Births?
The best research results are obtained from placental tissue that is fully intact, which is why only C-section tissue is utilized.

What If I Change My Mind?
If you decide that you no longer want to donate your placenta, simply tell your doctor before the tissue is transported to Stemnion, Inc.*

If you would like more information about donating your placental tissue, please contact St. Joseph's Comprehensive Research Institute at (813) 870-4760. 

*Stemnion, Inc., is a regenerative medicine company that is developing medications to treat serious wounds, including burns.