Financial matters are perhaps not the most important consideration for many parents when they are awaiting the birth of their child. Even so, with a little planning an early investment can go a long way towards ensuring the future wellbeing of the infant. The taking of cord blood at the time of birth is such an investment.
The benefit of preserving precious cord blood is a relatively recent discovery by scientists. By investigating the opportunities offered by cord blood banking, it is possible to learn ways to save financially while also, potentially, saving a life in the case of a serious illness.
Cord blood
The principle behind the use of cord blood is fairly straightforward, although parents who are considering saving the cord blood from the birth of their child will certainly want to find out as many details as possible before going ahead.
The use of cord blood for medicinal and surgical purposes is a recent innovation, and research concerning the potential uses of cord blood is ongoing. However, what is clearly understood is that cord blood, which is blood taken from the umbilical cord after birth, is extremely rich in stem cells. These stem cells are versatile in that they can adapt in ways that make them an effective component in the treatment of some hereditary conditions and some potentially fatal illnesses. By saving the cord blood of a child at birth, that blood can act as a type of insurance in the event of the child developing one of these conditions or illnesses.
Benefits of cord blood banking
Saving the cord blood, or cord blood banking as it is known, has applications both socially and for a specific individual. Much like a regular blood bank, a public cord blood bank can be a valuable resource for doctors treating patients suffering from certain conditions. Alternatively, private cord blood banking adds the personal security that compatible stem cells will be available if they are needed for a child. This is likely to be of particular value to families in which certain genetic conditions have been noted. For example, cord blood can be a useful tool in the fight against leukemia, lymphoma, sickle-cell anemia, thalassemia, Krabbe’s disease, and a range of immune deficiencies. In addition, in about a quarter of cases, a child’s cord blood could be used in the treatment of a sibling who has developed one of these conditions.
Things to know about cord blood banking
Parents who are considering cord blood banking should carefully consider the options available. The procedure by which cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord after birth is quick, non-intrusive, and simple. The potential uses of cord blood are still being researched, and experts are looking for further ways in which it can be of medical benefit. Furthermore, while public cord blood banks operate to everyone’s benefit, a private cord blood banking arrangement would be a sound insurance option for families who are concerned about one of the specific genetic conditions for which cord blood can be a part of effective treatment. All of these issues should be discussed with a medical professional before a decision on cord blood banking is made.
Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. This post was brought to you by Cordblood.com
How long can you store cord blood and cord tissue for? Just the 20 years? What how much do we pay after that?
Companies have only been storing cord blood for only the last 20-25 years or so, and for cord tissue a bit less than this, and there is no evidence that cord blood cannot be stored indefinitely at liquid nitrogen temperatures (-196 degrees) or that it degrades over time. Research conducted by one of the foremost experts on cord blood stem cells shows that after 23.5 years of storage, there was no degradation in the cord blood samples. After 20 years of storage you can pay $120 per year or prepay for another 20 years of storage….
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
I would have done this with my son, but it is SO expensive.
it cost so much for blood banking and its such a really big shame because it can be soo good for so many uses. I looked into donating and even that was complicated
I wish I would have researched this more when I was pregnant with my children.
It’s unfortunate that it’s so costly because we would have done this with the Little.
would have loved to bank but it’s too expensive!
I wish that I had known about this kind of thing when I was pregnant!
I wish it wasn’t so expensive
I would love to bank it just in case…
I had no idea what cord blood banking was all about, thanks for the information.
Interesting!
Gosh I have been so sick over this.. I really want to Bank our baby girl’s blood, but in reality we just can’t financially do so. I really wish this was covered by insurance, even partially
But you can. See my comment a few comments below this one.
This is very informative. Thanks for posting.
I have thought about it but it is very expensive, I think there are a lot of people who just can’t afford it.
I agree. I would love to do this one day but it’s SO expensive.
I kind of want to type this in all caps so I can scream it out loudly, but won’t.
*It is free to donate to a community bank. I know, that may or may not serve you. But someone’s got to start…so why not do it? Hopefully the masses will then catch on to this and start doing it and then it’d always be there for most anyone. Kind of like donating blood, you know?
Double Duty Mommy, it’s my wish that you’d edit the piece to clearly state this since I see so many saying it’s not possible to do financially. This attitude must be changed…for the sake of all our children.
Thank you.
Please, please, please think about it. If not for your own private access, then for a bank in which it might save a child’s life.
It’s such a simple thing to do…and the benefits can be immeasurable if you are that one who matches.
As a mother who buried her own child, and has seen countless others die – I know it’s easy to think it won’t happen to you. And it probably won’t. But it will happen to many. And if you can play any part in preventing that, why wouldn’t you?
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I’ll have to share this with my daughter so she can consider it when the time comes.
I thought about it at the time, but never did it.