Banking a baby’s blood and stem cells in a cord blood bank
is a type of insurance. Ideally, you will not need to access your baby’s stem
cells in order to address a medical problem. But using a cord blood bank can
provide peace of mind knowing that you have a valuable resource if you need it.
The stem cells from your baby’s cord blood may be effective in treating certain
diseases or conditions of a parent or sibling.
Family cord blood banks charge a first-year processing fee
that ranges from about $1,400 to $2,300, plus annual storage costs of about
$115 to $150. The banks offer payment plans, ranging from no-interest installments
paid over a few months to longer-term financing with interest.
Several family cord blood banks run charity programs that
offer free cord blood storage if an existing family member – either a parent or
full sibling of the baby – has a condition that is treated with stem cell
therapy. You'll be required to have your doctor fill out a medical history to
be accepted into such a program.
The procedure takes blood from the umbilical cord at birth
and stores it for a fee in a private blood bank. (Public banks are another
option - see below.) Because this blood is rich in stem cells -- cells that have
the ability to transform into just about any human cell -- it could someday be
used as treatment if your child ever became ill with certain diseases. It might
also be useful for a sick sibling or relative. Banking cord blood is a way of
preserving potentially life-saving cells that usually get thrown away after
birth.
For long-term storage, cells undergo specialized freezing
procedures and are stored in special freezers under liquid nitrogen. Maximal
storage time, or expiration date, is unknown, but cells are likely to remain
usable for decades. Cord blood units from public banks have been successfully
transplanted after 18 years in storage.
Since cord blood has an abundance of stem cells and medical
use of stem cells are expanding at a rapid pace, collecting and cryopreserving
cord blood is no longer viewed as luxury in life, but more as a wise investment
towards a family's future health.
Stem cell treatments and transplants are
currently being performed around the globe on a daily basis to treat conditions
such as cancers (including lymphoma and leukemia) and inherited metabolic
disorders. Research for future uses of stem cells, such as the treatment of
diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cerebral palsy, holds great promise.
Cord Blood Banking Services :
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