New moms at South Georgia Medical Center are making an impact on patients all over the nation through the hospital's new partnership with TelaGen which facilitates placenta donations.   

Through the program, new mothers can change the lives of others for the better through the donation, while raising money for charity at the same time.  

According to Peggy Knight, SGMC Administrative Director of Women and Children, the program gives expectant mothers who are scheduled to deliver their baby via Caesarean section the option of donating their placenta and the attached amniotic membrane (or water bag).  

The tissue from the donation is then processed and used to stimulate cell growth in a variety of reconstructive procedures, including the healing of wounds and burns, spinal procedures, and eye procedures, according to TelaGen.   

The donation process is purely optional and doesn’t affect the delivery of the baby in any way, Knight said. The placenta is simply collected and preserved afterward instead of being discarded.  

Additionally, it doesn’t cost the new mother anything. In fact, as part of SGMC’s agreement with TelaGen, for each placenta donated at the hospital, the company will make a $25 donation to a charity chosen by the delivering physician and another $25 donation to a charity chosen by the Women and Children’s department.   

That might not sound like a lot, but with somewhere in the neighborhood of 750 babies delivered via C-section at SGMC last year, it can add up quickly.  

“We’ve chosen the SGMC Foundation as our charity of choice,” Knight said. “This will allow us to reinvest the funding back into our department and further enhance our services provided to women and children in our area.”    

That makes it a win-win-win situation, with the new mom, the recipient of the donated placenta, and the community all benefitting.