What is Cord Blood Banking?
In 1988, a 5-year old boy fighting Fanconi anemia, received the world’s first successful cord blood stem cell transplant. Today, cord blood stem cells are routinely used as a standard of medical care to treat more than 80 diseases, from leukemia to sickle cell anemia.
Most expecting parents are not aware of the benefits cord blood and newborn stem cells can hold. In fact, in the majority of births, cord blood is treated as medical waste and disposed of without a second thought!
At Americord, we believe that all families should know (and understand!) exactly what cord blood banking is and confidently make the best decision for their family.
What is cord blood?
Cord blood is the remaining blood left in the umbilical cord after a baby is birthed. It contains stem cells that are used in thousands of medical treatments and stem cell transplants each year.
When does cord blood collection happen?
Cord blood collection happens immediately after the baby is born. Even if the parents choose to delay the clamping of the umbilical cord, doctors are still able to collect cord blood and newborn stem cells. Cord blood collection does not interfere with the delivery and can happen without any risk to the baby or mom. After collection, cord blood is cryogenically frozen and can be safely stored for decades.
Is Cord Blood Banking Worth It
Cord blood and it’s life-saving stem cells have been used in more than 40,000 transplants worldwide and are used to treat more than 80 different diseases including cancers, immune deficiencies, and genetic disorders.
Today, there are more than 100 cord blood stem cell clinical trials actively researching treatments for immune diseases, neurological disorders, and other conditions. These include Alzheimer’s, autism, Cerebral Palsy, diabetes, heart failure, Covid-19, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, strokes, and many more.
When a family chooses to bank their child’s cord blood, they are unlocking the possibility to use these stem cells for current and potential future treatments in regenerative medicine for their child, family, and even the child’s future family.
Who can use my baby’s cord blood?
Anyone! Although, cord blood stem cells from immediate family members are the preferred option for many treatments and clinical trials, particularly pediatric transplants for hereditary disorders.
Families who store their baby’s cord blood with a private bank, like Americord, are able to readily access their child’s stem cells for approved treatments and clinical trials for first- and second-degree relatives. Public banks are accessible to anyone.
How can I bank my child’s cord blood?
Parents can bank their child’s cord blood in two ways: public and private banking.
Privately bank your newborn’s stem cells.
Privately banking cord blood gives parents the ability to privately store their child’s stem cells for their exclusive use. With over 80 current applications and 100+ clinical trials underway, private stem cell banking is the best way to ensure that treatments are accessible for the child or their immediate family. Americord is the leading provider of stem cell storage, and offers flexible cord blood banking payment plans for all families.
Donate your cord blood to a public bank.
Donating cord blood costs parents nothing, but can give hope to a family in need. Because not all hospitals offer the option to donate cord blood, parents need to be sure to plan ahead (by their second trimester) with their OBGYN and care team. Organizations such as Be The Match also maintain a list of most hospitals in the United States that collect cord blood for public banks.
If you’d like to learn more about banking your baby’s cord blood and its incredible stem cells, contact us or give us a call at 866-503-6005.
The views, statements, and pricing expressed are deemed reliable as of the published date. Articles may not reflect current pricing, offerings, or recent innovations.
