For most expectant parents, pregnancy is a time for preparation. From chalking up a birth plan to stocking up on baby supplies and setting up the baby’s room – there is a lot to be done. In fact, many parents start planning their unborn child’s future too at this stage, doing everything they can to ensure the child’s safe arrival and healthy growth. Part of this equation is cord blood banking.
Gaining immense popularity among urban parents in particular, several of them factor in cord blood banking into their baby’s birth plan. But what is it? What is the purpose? And does it have any real benefits? We’ll explain all that and more in our cord blood banking guide below:
What Does Cord Blood Banking Mean?
For the unversed parent, this is the most common question. Let us clear the air. Cord blood banking is simply the process of extracting stem cells from the umbilical cord of a baby during its birth. This process is completely painless for both mother and child and only takes place once the cord has been cut from both ends. Instead of throwing the umbilical cord away, which is the norm, professionally trained staff extracts stem cells via a syringe and stores them into a tamper-proof bag for subsequent tests and storage.
What Is The Purpose Of Collecting Cord Blood?
Umbilical cords are one of the richest sources of stem cells, which are extensively used to treat an array of life-threatening diseases. So if you ask us what cord blood is primarily used for, it is used to treat a number of fatal conditions by supporting healthy cell turnover. The major diseases they can be used to treat include:
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Certain types of cancers including lymphoma and leukemia
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Any type of bone marrow disease that requires an active bone marrow transplant to manage it
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Blood disorders such as sickle cell disease or anaemia
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Immune system disorders
By storing your baby’s cord blood, you are essentially future-proofing them against a host of diseases. In case your baby requires stem cells to fight diseases as they get older, you can use the ones you stored at their birth to decrease the odds of rejection.
What Are The Major Types Of Cord Blood Banking?
There are two major types of cord blood banking, and we have described each of them below:
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Public Cord Blood Banking
Public cord blood banks are open to everyone. They are akin to large donation centers. If you deposit your bab’s stem cells in a public bank, you are essentially giving them away to be used by someone who is in dire need of them. The good thing about this type of cord blood banking is that it is essentially free and helps and accessible to everyone. That means anyone who needs a stem cell transplant can apply and receive a close match. It is completely anonymous and perfectly safe.
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Private Cord Blood Banking
This type is completely opposite to the former. Parents who opt for this basically get to store their baby’s cord blood in a private bank, which means the deposit is solely accessible to them. It generally comes with a hefty collection and storage fee. However, it is extremely useful if you or any member in your family is currently in need of a stem cell transplant.
There is a third option too, and it is a hybrid. Take for example, LifeCell’s Community Stem Cell Banking. For a small fee, it combines the benefits of both public and private cord blood banking, thereby tremendously increasing the chances of finding a perfectly matched stem cell donation if the need arises. Parents also get access to the deposit they made any time they need.
What Are The Core Advantages Of Cord Blood Banking?
Honestly, there are many benefits to cord blood banking. However, we’ll just talk about the major ones below:
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Collection is practically painless and collected stem cells can actually save the life of your baby (in the future) or a loved one in your family as they get coverage too if you opt for a family collection and storage plan. 3
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It has no impact whatsoever on your pregnancy, labour or delivery, so there are no fears, concerns or side effects surrounding stem cell collection.
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New research keeps revealing the power of stem cells in treating various disorders and conditions. For example, stem cells are now also used to cure diabetes, heart conditions, cerebral palsy and more, with more research promising protection against more illnesses. 4, 5
Conclusion
Cord blood banking isn’t a trend. It’s a valuable investment in your baby’s and your family’s future. By taking the decision to store stem cells taken from your baby’s umbilical cord at birth, you end up safeguarding them (and your family, we repeat) against a host of diseases in the future. You also end up creating a better world where the odds of people fighting fatal diseases improve, giving them a second shot at life. It’s not just a scientific breakthrough, it’s a critical tool to building a world where diseases don’t rob us of our loved ones.