As a new parent, you receive advice from different people about ways to take care of your little bundle of joy and the things you can do to protect their health, wellness, and future. Hence, you must have come across the medical procedure called cord blood banking.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta post-delivery. This blood is rich in stem cells and can be preserved for future medical use.

Choosing the right cord blood bank is crucial to ensure the availability and viability of cord blood for future uses. However, as a new parent, you may not have all the information to choose the right cord blood bank for your child.

Here is a step-by-step guide that can help you in selecting a cord blood bank for your newborn.

1. Start planning in advance.

Banking the cord blood of your child is a crucial decision. Hence, you need to start planning in advance to make the right choice. Most women consider stem cell banking in their second trimester. This will provide you with enough time to research and choose the right stem cell bank.

We recommend completing all the procedures before the 34th week. This will take the burden off your shoulders, and you can relax in the final few weeks before delivery.

2. Research and gather information about cord blood banking

Cord blood banking has gathered popularity in recent years. Hence, there are some aspects of the procedure you may not know.

Research the procedure of stem cell banking, its numerous benefits, and the potential for future medical usage. Cord blood bank costs are a huge investment. Hence, you need to gather all the information that will make you feel confident about your decision.

At this stage, you should also research the different types of cord blood banks. The private cord blood banks ensure the availability of stem cell banks as and when you need them.

The cord blood banking costs for public banks are nil. However, the cells are not stored for your family and are used for other patients and medical research.

3. Ask for recommendations.

Now that you are well aware of cord blood banking procedures, benefits, and costs, you should ask your friends, family, and neighbors for their recommendations about the cord blood banks.

Also, ask them about their first-hand experience with these private cord blood banks and their reasons for picking the bank. Prepare a list of all these recommendations. You can also ask your doctor for their advice.

4. Gather information about the cord blood banking company

Before choosing the cord blood bank, you need to gather some critical information about the private cord blood bank and its functioning.

• Check licensing and accreditation.

License and accreditation ensure the legitimacy and capability of the private cord blood bank. The bank should be registered with FDA to carry out cord blood banking. Other accreditation standards to look for in your private cord blood bank are AABB and FACT.

• Check their experience.

You should also enquire your bank about the number of years they have been in business. Also, check for the number of units stored and released by the cord blood bank for transfusion.

• Ensure the safety of the stem cells.

The stem cell banks need to follow standards and guidelines for the cord blood to ensure its viability. Ensure that the private cord blood bank of your choice maintains adequate insulation and temperature in storage and transportation.

• Cord blood banking costs

The price of cord blood banking is a critical factor in choosing the right cord blood banks. However, it should not be the sole determining factor in making a selection.

The quality of the cord blood banking services should be given priority in choosing the cord blood bank. An affordable cord blood bank of $19.99/month allows you to store your child’s cord blood at manageable monthly expenses.

5. Make your choice

Based on the above factors, you should make your final decision and complete all the procedures of registering with the cord blood bank. The bank will make all the necessary arrangements for the collection, processing, and storage of the stem cell banks of your child.