Private and Public Umbilical Cord Blood Banks

Discovery about the presence of stem cells in the umbilical cord blood  is a new milestone achieved in the stem cell research. This new medical promise of treating illness with stem cell cord blood has drawn the attention of the public. If you are still wondering what exactly this cord blood is and what is cord tissue, let us explain it in the layman terms. Blood present in the umbilical cord is termed as cord blood, whereas the tissue of the umbilical cord is termed as cord tissue. Both the cord blood and tissue were discarded right after the child birth in previous times, but now it has achieved a life saving status.

If you are an expectant parent, then it is essential to decide whether or not to bank your newborn’s umbilical cord blood and tissue. You have to collect as much information as possible about the cord blood banking and its benefits. More than just defining what is cord tissue or what cord blood is, you should figure out how it will prove beneficial in protecting your family’s long-term health. Searching over the web pages or having a brief discussion with your doctor will help you in collecting all the necessary information. Once you have realised about the value of saving your newborn’s cord blood, then it is time to decide whether to bank it or donate it. You have to choose between private and public umbilical cord blood banks. 

Storing your baby’s cord blood at a private umbilical cord blood bank has several set of advantages, especially if your family has any sort of genetically inherited disorders or ailments. The cord blood you stored at the private bank can be used for your child or it can also  be a close match for any of your family member if he or she ever needs it for stem cell transplants or therapeutic treatments. However, expectant parents who can’t afford the high cord blood pricing or simply don’t want to bank it can think about donating the cord blood to public banks. Umbilical cord blood donated to the public banks will be either used for life-saving transplants or medical research purpose. No matter whether you decide to bank it or donate it, make it a point to check with your doctor for the availability of medical facilities.