(a) Unless it is medically inadvisable, each hospital shall allow a pregnant patient to arrange for the donation of the blood extracted from the umbilical cord of the patient's newborn child to a certified public cord blood bank. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) A hospital or hospital employee, including a physician, nurse, or other medical staff, may not be required 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. (e) This section may not be construed to require a hospital to arrange for the donation of blood extracted from umbilical cords. (f) (1) The Department, in consultation with obstetricians, the Maryland Hospital Association, and interested groups, shall develop educational materials concerning the values, uses, and donation of umbilical cord blood for the purposes of paragraph (2) of this subsection. (2) Each obstetrician and hospital that provides obstetrical services shall distribute the educational materials described in paragraph (1) of this subsection to pregnant patients.
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