Today”s expectant parents face the tough, confusing and irreversible choice of whether to bank their newborn child”s cord blood or not. Cord blood banking for their own use can be a very good idea for families that have a child or another family member “suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, other cancers, sickle cell disease, thalassemia or other transplant-treatable diseases”.
There is only one chance to bank your baby”s cord blood, a few moments after birth. The cord blood collection process is largely simple, painless, and harmless to the baby and mother. Parents who bank their baby”s umbilical cord blood privately feel that it is a kind or “insurance” and a “good investment” in case their child needs it. At some point in the future, cord blood banking just might save your baby”s or another family member”s life, if they require a transplant. Your baby”s cord blood stem cells are unique to your family and are a more a suitable match between family members than bone marrow.
The downside of cord blood banking is of course, its high costs versus the difficulty in estimating its future need as some kind of biological insurance. For example, at Viacord, the price begins at $1700 at birth, plus $95 dollars for storage a year.
If you decide to go in for private cord blood banking, make sure that the bank:
Allows “autologous” only for the donor childs use and family use
Is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks
Uses a good collection method. As a thumb rule, syringe collections are better than “Blood Bag gravity” collections
Is financially viable and stable.
