Facts About Cord Blood Banking

Most of the expectant parents know what cord bloodbanking is and how it can prove beneficial in the long run. Here are some of the must-known facts that will cut the information overload and help you in taking an informed decision.

The process of collecting the umbilical cord blood(CB) doesn’t harm the new-born or the mother in any way. Since, the CB is collected right after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped, it poses no threat to the baby or the mother. No matter whether it was a vaginal delivery or caesarean section, the collection procedure of cord blood is the same. Around three to five ounces of blood are collected from the umbilical cord during  this process. 

You can find public and private cord blood banking facilities. Umbilical cord blood donated to the

public banks is used either for research purposes or for any lifesaving stem cell transplants. On the other hand, you need to pay a hefty amount of money to store your baby’s cord blood in a private bank facility. However, the storage fees you pay at the private facility will be worth it, as your baby’s cord blood is saved specifically for your own family. Expectant parents who can’t afford the fees of private cord blood banking pricing can think about donating their new-born’s cord blood to a public bank. 

Whether you are planning to donate the cord blood to a public bank or store it in a private facility, the expectant mother will be tested for various infections and diseases. For example, moms who have been treated for cancer can’t donate their cord blood.

If you have been planning to bank your new-born’s cord blood, then it is important to start your planning ahead of time. Put your research skills into use to collect as much information as possible. Browse through the reliable web sources and seek the guidance of your healthcare practitioner to find out more details about the cord blood banking procedures.

Pros and Cons of Cord Blood Banking

If you are an expectant parent, then you might be probably hearing about the umbilical cord blood banking services and its benefits. As the name implies, Cord blood or CB is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta, that can be harvested right after the child birth. Up until the discovery of stem cell presence in the cord blood, it was discarded as a medical waste. Stem cells, also known as the master cells of human body have a remarkable potential to serve as a sort of repair system. Moreover, its ability to differentiate into other specialised cells offers a promising approach for the regenerative medicine research and other therapeutic applications. Recent advancements in the cord blood cell therapies and transplants have significantly changed the scope of stem cell research. 

Why expectant parents should think about banking their new-born’s cord blood?  Umbilical cord blood, being a rich source of stem cells can turn out to be a lifesaving option for the treatment of many serious diseases and disorders –including cancer, blood disorders, immune system disorders and genetically inherited diseases. Several clinical trials are underway exploring the cord tissue banking benefits.Cord blood containsHematopoietic stem cells which develop into blood-related cells, whereas cord tissue contains Mesenchymal stem cells which develop into structural and connective tissues. According to the researchers, cord tissue stem cell banking may prove useful in treating the spinal cord injuries and strokes in near future. 

Umbilical cord blood banking can prove valuable in limited circumstances, but the chances that your baby will ever need it are slim to none. Also, cord blood stem cell banking is not a sure-fire thing as it can’t cure everything. For instance, if a child has got leukemia, doctors would generally prefer for a stem cell match from another donor as the child’s cord blood has the same genes that permitted the leukemia to develop in the first place.So, it is always up to the expectant parents to decide whether or not to bank their new-born’s umbilical cord blood.