Cord blood banking is, in essence, the procedure of accumulating life-saving stem cells from the placenta or umbilical cord and storing them for later use. It, in turn, can help people who are suffering from immune system disorders, anemia, or any other blood-related ailment.
The fluid is pretty easy to take and offers 10x more cells than the same accumulated from an individual’s bone marrow. Besides, stem cells also don’t carry any infectious diseases. Hence, they can assume the shape of almost any cell without affecting your health in any way.
Types Of Cord Blood Banking
When it comes to the types of cord blood banking, you can opt for a number of different options. Here’s what you need to know about them.
Public Cord Banks: These banks generally don’t ask for any compensation in return for storing your cord blood. Also, almost anyone can get it, as long as they have permission to do so. The bank may also take and use the available blood for various research purposes. But, the overall security of this storage option tends to be low.
Private Cord Banks: Unlike the former, a private cord bank will only store the blood for the donor and their family members. Hence, the security, in this aspect, tends to be much higher than usual. However, they can be pretty expensive, as they use several technologies to offer a better storage alternative.
Direct Donation Banks: The direct-donation banks are, in essence, a combination of a private and a public bank. They usually store cord blood for the usage of the public. Nonetheless, they will also accept donations from a family and reserve the same for them. There will be no fees charged for any case whatsoever.
What Are The Benefits Of Cord Blood Banking?
As we’ve said before, cord blood can be potentially life-saving for an individual suffering from a critical disease. According to a report, it’s expected to treat the following disorders efficiently:
- Various orthopedic ailments and conditions like knee cartilage damage
- Cerebral palsy and autism
- Cardiovascular diseases, like cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction
- Type-1 diabetes, Crohn’s Disease, and various other auto-immune disorders
Aside from this, it can also be used for gene therapy, which is a staple in the treatment of inherited ailments, like HIV. Also, for more information about orthopedic care, visit Orthopedic Urgent Care.
What Is The Cost Of Cord Blood Banking?
As you know, a public and direct donation bank does not ask for any financial assistance at all. However, when it comes to a private one, the asking price can differ massively from one alternative to another.
For example, the range of cost of Alphacord tends to be somewhere between $625 to $2,495, depending on the storage option. Conversely, you will have to pay Viacord around $2,495 to $6,450 while attributing to the same service.
In some cases, there might be some hidden costs available for some banks. Thus, if you want to avoid them, make sure to do proper research before opting for an organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have offered insights on almost everything regarding the titular query of our topic. Hence, now, we will focus on something even more important – questions that you may have after reading this article. So, let’s get on with it.
Is Cord Blood Banking Worth Doing?
Yes, in a way, it is. If you think that your baby or someone else in your family will need stem cells someday, it’ll definitely be worth collecting. Just make sure to opt for the best blood bank available in your locality, and you’ll be fine.
Will The Collection Be Dangerous Or Painful?
Nope, not really. The doctor will sever the placenta and the umbilical cord during the birth of your child. Therefore, your baby will no longer have any use for them. During this period, the service provider can simply collect the blood painlessly and store it somewhere else.
Final Thoughts
Honestly speaking, the decision to preserve your umbilical cord blood is pretty personal. Hence, before you opt for this procedure, make sure to consider the health history of your family. This way, you will be able to check if someone needs the blood or not.
Make sure to keep in mind, though – the chance of your baby or someone else using the blood is somewhere around 1 in 2700. In any case, if you still determine that you may need it, the spending will be worth it.
