Identifying Barriers to Umbilical Cord Blood Banking in Jordan

The expansion of umbilical cord blood (UCB) banking necessitates a greater understanding among obstetricians, who are responsible for informing parents about UCB collection and storage. Gaps in knowledge can compromise public UCB banking efforts and result in missed opportunities and misguidance about UCB banking.

A cross-sectional survey was disseminated among obstetricians in Amman, Jordan. The questionnaire aimed to evaluate obstetricians’ knowledge of and attitude toward UCB storage and applications, as well as current practice patterns.

Ninety-six obstetricians responded (55% response rate), most of whom were Jordanian (71%), female (83%), resident physicians (59%), and working in either private (43%) or public (42%) hospitals, with an average of 6.5 years in practice. Only 26% had personal experience in UCB collection, and only 20% had received education on UCB collection. Nearly three-fourths said their hospitals lacked standard operating procedures, guidelines, or infectious disease screening for UCB units. Overall knowledge about UCB was moderate, with the internet as the most common source (54%). Overall attitudes were positive, especially in desire to expand personal knowledge about UCB, integrate information into medical residency curricula, and establish a public UCB bank in Jordan. However, many believed that ethical (61%) and religious (56%) controversies surround UCB donation.

This study identifies deficiencies in quality control and experience in UCB collection in Jordan, as well as areas of inadequate knowledge, false beliefs, and negative attitudes among obstetricians. These issues can contribute to public misinformation and should be addressed through improved medical education on this topic.