Umbilical Cord Blood Banking: Pros & Cons, Costs, Basics
Cord blood refers to the blood that normally remains in the placenta and umbilical cord following birth. That blood is mostly discarded. Nevertheless, Cord blood bank uses special facilities to preserve and store the cord blood of a baby. If you are thinking of storing your child’s cord blood, ensure that you utilize cord blood banks which are accredited by the AABB (American Association of Blood Banks), such as Viacord.
Your baby’s cord blood is an adequate source of useful stem cells which are genetically connected to your child and your family. The stem cells are usually dominant cells since they contribute to the growth of all organs, tissues, and systems in your body.
Stem cells can transform into other kinds of cells in your body to generate new development and growth. They are the building blocks of your immune system as well. The transformation of the stem cells gives the doctors a way to treat illnesses and most inherited health disorders.
Cord Blood Banking Pros
In general, the blood that’s collected from the umbilical cord is usually the same blood your infant gets from the placenta. Since this blood is usually rich in stem cells that promote the growth of organs, tissues and blood vessels, it’s used to treat blood conditions such as leukemia, anemia, and lymphoma as well as some immune disorders. Most of the time, these conditions are treated using chemotherapy, which typically destroys the immune system of the patient. Other benefits include:
• It’s a good alternative to the transplantation of bone marrow
Cord blood transplantation can rebuild the immune system of the patient. Nowadays, cord blood is utilized as an alternative to the transplantation of the bone marrow. Cord blood is an easier match than stem cells derived from other body parts. Cord blood cells are also less mature than the cells from the bone marrow of an adult, so the probability of the body of the recipient rejecting them is usually less.
• It’s a painless procedure
Since cord blood is usually gathered immediately after giving birth, it is a painless procedure which is less complicated when compared with harvesting other stem cells. The cord blood is accessible at all times if you pay to get it stored in a certain private blood bank. This blood is usually reserved by the CORD BLOOD BANK for your child and your own family as well; it can’t be used or accessed by other people. As long as you continue paying for its storage, the cord blood will always be available at any time.
Cord Blood Banking Cons
• Cord blood banking does not come cheaply, and you will find many companies providing more and more services that come with additional price tags.
• At times, there are risks that the cord blood harvested from an infant contains the illness that’s being treated. In this case, the cord blood cannot be used.
Conclusion
For most parents-to-be, news that stem cells from cord blood are promising for treating some devastating conditions is welcome news. However, what is vitally essential to remember is that most of the illnesses for which the transplantation of cord blood can be used are incredibly rare in the majority of families. But if your family has a history of conditions that can be corrected using transplantation like Sickle Cell Anemia, Acute lymphoblastic leukemia or Hunter Syndrome, then cord blood banking might be something worth your consideration, if you will afford it.
