Thinking About Cord Blood Banking?

by Cait 8:08 AM 0 comments Baby Cord Blood Banking Moms Pregnancy Stem Cells

You may be saying, "Cord blood banking? Wha?"

My husband and I had never even heard of cord blood banking until a few years ago, when one of my husband's cousins had mentioned it after the birth of her twins.  Even now, I only know a handful of couples who have opted to save their baby's cord blood.

The idea of cord blood banking was very appealing to me from the get-go.  The cells saved when cord blood is stored could potentially save your child's life later on.  Hopefully you'll never need to use it, but it is nice to know that it is there.

According to Viacord, the stem cells collected for cord blood banking can help to treat a number of ills. Current stem cell uses range from treating various types of cancer to blood disorders, to metabolic disorders, to immunodeficiencies. If your child needs a stem cell treatment, you will already have a 100% match.  If a sibling of that child is in need of a similar treatment, that child will have a 75% chance of a match (using a siblings cord blood cells).

Here are a few things to consider when dealing with cord blood banking:

Public vs. Private Banking
After deciding whether or not to store your baby's cord blood, it is important to consider what sort of banking you'll use. This could be the subject of an article on its own, but here's a quick summary of each:

If you choose public banking, you are donating your child's cells for public use.  If your baby's cells are a match for a sick child, they can use those cells, and visa versa.

If you decide to go with private banking, your child's cells are only used for your family.  You will always have access to those cells, so long as you continue to pay the storage fee.

Cost
This is the rough part!  Cord blood banking is very pricy.  There is an initial collection and storage fee, usually followed by an annual fee to maintain the storage of cells.

The Process of Collecting the Blood
You receive your kit just prior to your due date.  You will bring this with you to the hospital. Immediately after the birth of your child, the umbilical cord is clamped and the cord blood is removed via syringe.  It is a painless and quick procedure, for both mama and baby. The doctor packs everything into a little cooler and a number is called for pick-up (Your kit is picked up that day). Easy Peasy!

What if you are having a c-section?
It is still possible to store your child's cord blood.  It is also perfectly safe. Click here for more information on collecting cord blood during a c-section.

Want to learn more? 
Visit the following links below to learn more. It's a great idea to discuss this with your OBGYN and pediatrician, too.  See what they have to say about it.

Most importantly, trust your gut.


Resources

This is a step-by-step guide to cord blood banking from What to Expect.

Cryo-cell also provides information on banking cord tissue.