§ 23-16-15 — Umbilical cord blood donation

1. Unless it is medically inadvisable, a hospital shall allow a pregnant patient to arrange
for the blood extracted from the umbilical cord of the patient's newborn child to be
donated to a public cord blood bank. A patient who agrees to donate cord blood to a
public cord blood bank may not be charged for the costs of collecting, storing, or
transporting the cord blood.
2. A hospital is not required to collect cord blood if in the professional judgment of a
licensed physician the collection of the cord blood would threaten the health of the
mother or newborn child. This section does not require a hospital or hospital
employee, including a physician, nurse, or other medical staff, to collect cord blood if
the collection of cord blood conflicts with the bona fide religious practices and beliefs
of the hospital or hospital employee. This section does not require a hospital to
arrange for the donation of blood extracted from umbilical cords.