An expectant parent needs to take a number of important decisions in order to ensure the future health of their child. What to do with the newborn’s cord blood is a case in point. Blood present in the umbilical cord is an abundant source of stem cells which makes it a valuable lifesaving resource. It can be used to treat an array of debilitating conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma and anaemia to mention a few. And that is why cord blood banking have been gaining wide acceptance like never before. With the remarkable advancements in the stem cell research, the field of cord blood stem cell technology is all geared up to transform the regenerative medicine in many ways. Expectant parents can discard it, donate it to a public cord blood bank or store it in private cord blood banks.
You need to take several factors into consideration before taking a decision. Having a look at your family medical history is one of them. Check whether there are any heritable diseases running in your family that can be treated with cord blood. Have a brief discussion with your family members and seek the guidance of your family doctor. Private cord blood banks store your baby’s cord blood for an annual fee so that the family can use it at the time of need. If you have decided to bank your baby’s cord blood, then it is advised to do a detailed research to find an accredited and reputed family cord blood bank.
Public cord blood banks allow families to donate the blood at free of cost. Cord blood donated to such public facilities is used for transplants or medical research. No matter whether you are planning to store or donate cord blood, it is essential to check out the eligibility criteria of cord blood banking.
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