Cord blood banking is the once in a lifetime opportunity for parents to save the stem cells found in the blood of their newborn’s umbilical cord. Stem cells are the building blocks of our blood and immune systems. The preservation of these stem cells, which are different from embryonic stem cells, allows families the benefit of having them available for existing or future medical treatments. Umbilical cord blood is currently used in the treatment of more than 70 life threatening diseases, including oncologic disorders, bone marrow failures, hematologic disorders, metabolic disorders and immunodeficiencies.
Cord blood banking is completely safe for both mother and the newborn since cord blood is collected after the baby is born and after the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut.
Cord Blood Banking Options
When deciding what is best for you and your family, it is important to know about all of your cord blood banking options. Family banking allows you to store your newborn’s cord blood stem cells specifically for your family making them available immediately should your family ever need them. This service is provided by cord blood banks which charge a fee for collection, processing and storage in which you retain ownership of your newborn’s stem cells. Research has shown that transplants with related cord blood stem cells have double the survival rates as compared with unrelated (publicly donated) cord blood stem cells. Public donation allows your family to offer your baby’s cord blood stem cells to the public network at no cost. Your donation may then be made available to any patient requiring a cord blood cell transplant. Once you donate the cord blood to a public bank, your family does not retain ownership of the cord blood. Discard of umbilical cord as waste-once discarded, these cells cannot be retrieved for future use.
Please ask us about cord blood banking at your next prenatal visit.
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