Storing Your Baby’s Cord Blood: What You Should Know

Storing the umbilical cord blood has become a popular public penchant, and this ardent desire is because of the high medicinal benefit of cord blood. The valuable nature of cord blood is mainly because of the presence of rich stem cells, which are capable of creating all types of blood cells. Because of this morphing capacity, stem cells are beneficial to humans for curing various diseases. In other words, these stem cells have the capacity to replicate, and hence, is widely used for therapeutic purposes. Some of the diseases, which you can prevent by using stem cells, include Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, spinal cord damages, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, stroke, heart disease, etc. That said, one must store the same in a well-equipped lab, and only then, the intrinsic quality will remain intact. To find the best cord blood storage lab, you must compare the different options of cord blood bank costs and must go for the best practical option.

Cord blood storage is a bit costly when you opt for a private bank. However, if you are donating the same for a common social cause, then the better option is to store it in a public bank. Nevertheless, you must understand that when you store in a public cord blood bank, you will not get any preference. Hence, if you want to use the efficacy of the umbilical cord blood of your child personally, it is always advisable to opt for a private bank. There will be numerous such facilities in almost all areas. So you can compare the offered facilities and the cord blood bank costs of some of the leading companies and opt for the best option.

If you are opting for storing the umbilical cord blood, you will have to make prior arrangements. You have to find a professional cord blood bank first and then go as per their advice. The mother will have to undergo various medical examinations, and this is to make sure that she has no infections caused by any virus. In general, these tests will clarify that the mother does not suffer from any diseases such as syphilis, cytomegalovirus, HIV, etc. The cord blood bank costs will cover all these expenses.

You must inform the physician who is attending the delivery about your decision. Remember, one will have to store the blood as soon as the baby is born, and hence, the prior arrangements are vital. Once you sign a contract with the bank, they will provide you a collection kit, and you must hand over this to the doctor or the nurse who will be there with the mother inside the labor room. The next step is to take the collected blood to the company; in most cases, the cord blood bank will arrange a courier staff for this task. You must talk to the management of the cord blood bank and must do accordingly. At the bank, the technical staff will process this blood and will store the same properly. Remember, there will not be any threat to the mother or the baby. In the past, the hospital authorities took umbilical cord blood as a simple waste and destroyed it then and there in a safe manner.

In any case, you must be prepared an initial investment for the connected processes that are par for the course of cord blood storage. This cost will cover the cost of the collection kit. This kit will be a fully sterile, FDA-approved collection bag, which will be handy for both vaginal and cesarean delivery. You will also have to pay an initial processing fee for processing the blood stem cell. Some companies take the first year storage-fee as an advance. Apart from this initial fee, you will have to pay the storage rent for every subsequent year. As there will be different options for the payment, you will not find it difficult. Besides, there will be numerous financing options from which you can choose the best option. That said, the experience of the company and overall rating matters a lot. You must consider these facts while selecting a cord blood bank.