Cord Blood banking seems to be a hot topic these days. Should you or shouldn’t you bank your child’s cord blood is the big question. I was caught in the same web of questions when I was pregnant with my first, and decided to bank her cord blood. I knew the chances of her using her own cord blood down the road were slim, but I thought that maybe someone in the family could benefit. With my second child it was a no-brainer; we were going to bank her cord blood. Unfortunately her cord was too short and the doctors were unable to extract a sufficient amount of blood to bank.
When deciding on whether or not to bank your child’s cord blood, there are a few factors to consider.
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Consider the future: Regenerative medicine is a new approach to treatment focused on promoting normal function in the human body through cell based therapies in which stem cells play a vital role. In fact, many believe that regenerative medicine will revolutionize healthcare. Emerging research suggest that stem cells from cord blood have advantages over other stem cell sources in regenerative therapies. The clinical use of stem cells has grown each year, increasing the likelihood that you or a member of your family could benefit from the newborn stem cells you bank.
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Know your family history: Does your family have a history of illnesses for which newborn stem cells are currently being used or studied? Do those health conditions run in families? If so, you may well benefit from banking cord blood for the conditions treated today, but importantly, for conditions that are currently being studied through clinical research.
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Know your options: The primary options for cord blood banking are to store your stem cells with a family bank or to donate to a public bank.
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Family banking offers parents storage for cord blood stem cells for the family’s exclusive use.This typically includes a one-time processing fee and annual storage fees but gives parents access to these stem cells if needed. Free family banking is available through Cord Blood Registry for families with a medical need. Investigate your options for family banking as not all cord blood banks store cord blood in the same manner or offer the same services.
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Public donation lets parents donate stem cells at no cost to possibly help someone in need. While you may be able to access your donation if you need it, there is no guarantee that your donation will be available to you.
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Talk to your doctor: If you think cord blood banking is something you’d like to do, it is important to discuss it with your physician or childbirth educator. They will help you sort through your options and will also work with you to ensure you have what is needed at the time of delivery for a smooth collection.
I found out that Cord Blood Registry is the first stem cell bank to help establish clinical trials using cord blood. They’ve stumbled upon some amazing clinical trials which include Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Pediatric Stroke, and Traumatic Brain injury. Those trials alone cover a huge population who may be able to use cord blood to help recover from their injuries or illnesses. I watched this video of a mother’s first hand experience with using stem cells to help her daughter recover from a pediatric stroke after having brain surgery to remove a tumor. In this case, the patient was able to use her own stem cells to speed up her recovery, and the results are astounding. It makes me feel that I made the right choice banking my daughter’s blood.
I love hearing personal stories on successful use of Cord Blood Banking and stem cell treatment. I really believe this is going to be a major health care tool in our future which can help a wide variety of people. What are your thoughts on cord blood banking?
Jennifer @ The Quirky Momma says
I didn’t take the time to research this when I had my last two babies, and I wish I would have. While we don’t have any known serious diseases in either family, you never know. I also have two adopted children and I don’t know their biological medical histories, just their current health.