Cord blood banking is an important decision to make, for most expectant parents, since it can affect not only their family’s future, but also the lives of other individuals. In the course of this article, we shall endeavor to look at the benefits of blood cord banking, and how to make use of it.
Cord blood banking is the collection and storage of the blood found in a baby’s umbilical cord, after birth, for later use in medication. This blood contains stem cells, which have been used to treat various blood and bone diseases, such as sickle-cell anemia, lymphoma, osteoporosis, etc. The good thing about cord blood transplants is that it does not require a perfect fit between the donor and recipient, as compared to bone-marrow transplant, making them accessible to a wide variety of individuals.
An important consideration to make about cord blood is that it cannot be used for the owner, just in case they need it. Therefore, in order to make use of it, you should consider your family history, in terms of blood related defects, and store it to potentially cure a sibling in the future. If you find that you don’t need it, they you could consider donating it to someone else, who may need it.
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If you choose to bank the cord blood, you can do so either through a private cord bank, or by donating it to a public bank. There are charges involved, for cord blood banking through a private cord bank; initial charges for collection and storage are often around $2000 for 18 years of storage, and an annual storage fee of around $150. Public donations are free. As a parent, you should consider the likely benefits of storing the blood, and if not, donating it.
