If the bill becomes law, the state Department of Health and Human Services would place documents on its Web site that would help a pregnant woman decide whether to donate her baby’s cord blood to a public bank or have it stored in case her child or another family member will need it. The information would be put in a format that can be easily printed and distributed to expectant mothers.

Umbilical cord blood has stem cells, which can be converted to a number of important medical uses. According to representatives from the Cord Blood Bank at Duke University, the cells can be transplanted into the bone marrow of some medical patients, such as cancer patients. The Carolinas Cord Blood Bank is a public cord blood bank, making its supplies available to patients nationwide.