Is the Cord Blood Banking Cost Worth it?

Remarkable benefits of stem cell research are many and one of the major breakthroughs in the field of stem cell research and development was the discovery of stem cell presence in umbilical cord blood. This discovery led to a new practise in the medical field – cord blood banking.  If you are an expectant parent, then it is one of the most important decisions that you need to make before the birth of the baby. 

Blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord is termed as cord blood (CB). Researchers have

found out that the cord blood is rich in stem cells. Harvesting the cord blood right after the child birth and preserving it for long term storage is termed as umbilical cord blood banking. Valuable stem cells present in the CB has the potential to treat ischemic vascular disease, metabolic storage disease, hemoglobinopathies, neurological disorders, malignant and non-malignant diseases. Moreover, the umbilical cord blood stem cells are also used for regenerative medicine therapy.  Preserving the cord blood cells and cord tissues proves beneficial not only for the baby, but also for other members of the family. Expectant parents need to realise the remarkable benefits of stem cell research and think about banking the newborn’s umbilical cord blood, especially if your family has a medical history of genetically inherited diseases or disorders.

Private and public umbilical cord blood banking services are available. A whopping amount of money is charged by the private cord blood banks for the collection, processing and storage of CB, whereas donation of CB to a public bank is free of cost. If you have decided to bank your newborn’s cord blood in private facility, then it is strongly recommended to start the planning in advance. Do spend some extra time in research and planning, which will help you in finding the best family cord blood banking services. Expectant parents who can’t afford the higher private cord blood banking prices can donate the baby’s cord blood to public banks so that it will be available for free to anyone who needs it.