Pros And Cons Of Cord Blood Storage Or Cord Blood Banking ( Cost )

 Cord blood banking has gained a major following in the last few years. Many families have opted to undergo cord blood collection in an effort to ensure the safety of their offspring. Those that hesitate are worried that the banking cord blood cost will not fit their budget. Find out if this lifesaving measure is too expensive for you.

 

 Advantages:

Cord blood collection is a safe procedure. Since the blood is collected after the cord is severed, there is no harm done to either the mother or child. The fluid, umbilical cord and the placenta are taken to the cord blood bank to undergo attempts to extract more stem cells and RBC.

This form of transplant has been reported to have cured a great number of diseases. Newer studies are using this to treat even more diseases with the use of animal cord blood.

The fluid undergoes testing for diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B or C. The cord blood is only stored when it has proven cleared of diseases. This means that every vial of this material is free from unwanted virus and bacteria strains. This is the cleanest way to save lives.

Cord blood is ready for patients in less than one week from the time it was taken. This is a speedy way to cater to the needs of those who are in dire need of a transplant.

It only requires a 4/6 to match. For a bone marrow transplant to work, 6/6 is needed to ensure that the host doesn't reject the graft. This makes cord blood more readily available and easier to cross-match.
There is less risk of GvHD (Graft-vs.-Host Disease) which occurs when the patient and the donor are not a good match.

 Disadvantages:

Banking cord blood requires a great amount of money. The collection process alone costs $ 1000 - 2000. This is a hard sum to come by for most individuals, especially with a child along the way. There is also an added storage fee of $ 100 – 150.

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