For sure you have heard about cord blood storage before and you may also know that it is a relatively popular practice among the new parents. It’s not just a trend; it may be important for the health of the child and it can also offer peace of mind for the parents.
Life-saving storage of cord blood
It is good to know that the blood from the umbilical cord is rich in stem cells. These can treat over 80 life-threatening conditions and disorders. Such conditions include blood disorders, cancer, genetic diseases and immune system disorders. These cells can improve the immune system after chemotherapy and it can also be used as a substitute for bone marrow transplant.
The clinical trials are also using the storage of the cord blood because they are trying to use the cord blood to treat autism, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, and also cerebral palsy. In given conditions, the stem cells can transform in just any kind of cell that the body needs.
The baby might never use it
It is possible that the cord blood storage won’t turn out to be useful. The chances for the baby to use the blood until they are 10 are one in 5,000 in case of donor transplants while the chances are one in 10,000 in case of a transplant with the kid’s own cells. However the chances are higher by the age of 70.
There are no guarantees
When it comes to banking cord blood you should know that it isn’t like an insurance policy. For instance if the baby has leukemia, putting back the immune system that allowed the development of the problem to start with might not be the best idea possible.
In this case cord blood storage might seem useless. Usually the doctors suggest transplant from a healthy relative or an unrelated donor to decrease the chances for the problem to return. As you can see there are some serious conditions that even these cells can’t treat.
Other options
The truth is that finding the right bone marrow donor is quite difficult, especially in case of minority races. However when it comes to cord blood banking, it isn’t a must for the match to be a perfect one. This way finding a donor is a lot easier. According to the doctors there are only few patients that they can’t find a donor for.
Parents could opt for private cord blood storage. However it is best to donate to the public bank because this way other people could be treated as well using the cord blood of your baby.
Expenses
If you are thinking about the banking of the cord blood you should also consider the associated costs. Usually the initial investment is of $1,500-$2,000. This covers the processing, collection and storage in the first year.
This is just the tip of the iceberg about cord blood storage. There are many more things to know about it.
