Lifeline of Ohio Placenta Donation Program Expands Across OhioHealth Hospitals

OhioHealth is proud to collaborate with Lifeline of Ohio to bring its Placenta Donation Program to patients across its hospital system. Since the program launched in 2019, thousands of expectant mothers have had the opportunity to heal others through the donation of their placenta.

Healing grafts made from a placenta donation are used in a wide range of procedures, including eye, oral and spine surgeries, as well as treatments for difficult-to-heal wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, pressure ulcers and burns.

OhioHealth has introduced the program at nine hospitals since 2022, including OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth Berger Hospital, OhioHealth Southeastern Medical Center and OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital. In the past year, OhioHealth Pickerington Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center and OhioHealth Doctors Hospital have joined the initiative. OhioHealth Marion General Hospital is expected to launch soon. Once this takes place, placenta donation will be available at all OhioHealth delivery hospitals.

In 2024, OhioHealth sites facilitated 179 placenta donations (creating approximately 4,475 healing grafts). Of these, 102 were generously donated by OhioHealth Physician Group OB/GYN patients.

“The Placenta Donation Program allows women to make a meaningful impact on their community,” said Jason Melillo, MD, vice president of women’s and reproductive health clinical service line. “By partnering with Lifeline of Ohio, we extend compassionate care to both mothers and patients in need of critical healing, and we are honored to be a part of this meaningful process.”

At its core, Lifeline of Ohio’s Placenta Donation Program allows expectant mothers with scheduled C-section deliveries to donate the placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic membrane. These tissues, which are typically discarded, have the potential to create, on average, 25 healing grafts per placenta to help patients in need.

Placenta donation is entirely voluntary, involves no costs and does not alter the delivery process or the care provided to mother and baby. It is also distinct from cord blood donation.

“We are so excited to continue growing our partnership with OhioHealth,” said Andrew Mullins, Lifeline of Ohio CEO. “Together with these incredible hospitals and OB/GYN offices, and generous placenta donors, we will continue providing hope and healing to those who need it most.”

The Lifeline of Ohio Placenta Donation Program currently includes 28 partnering hospitals and approximately 120 OB/GYN offices throughout Central and Southeast Ohio, as well as Wood and Hancock counties in West Virginia.

To learn more about Lifeline of Ohio’s Placenta Donation program, visit www.lifelineofohio.org/placenta