When it comes to having a new baby—whether the child is your family's firstborn or tenth—there are many decisions that must be made involving their birth and health care. A major choice that all expecting parents face is whether or not to bank cord blood from their newborn for the future. With the advancement of technology and medicine, parents are finding there are more and more decisions that must be made regarding their child's health for today and tomorrow.
Your child's umbilical cord blood contains special cells known as stem cells. While stem cell research is a controversial topic, the controversy relates to the use of cells from aborted fetuses and not your own living child. The stem cells found in cord blood are proven to be precious when treating a child or sibling for potentially deadly diseases and medical disorders. These stem cells have yet to have their use determined, meaning they can become any cell needed in the body, from blood cells to bone cells. Since children that come from the same mother and father share genetic material, this cord blood containing the stem cells can be used to treat all children in a family for these diseases, including leukemia and sickle cell anemia.
With these technological and medical breakthroughs, and the promise of more breakthroughs on the horizon, more and more doctors are recommending that parents bank cord blood as a lifelong from of insurance. When discussing al the other medical information and decisions involving your child's birth, parents should be sure to inquire about the need for banking umbilical cord blood, since the decision needs to be made before the child is born in order to preserve the previous blood inside the umbilical cord. There is a great deal of evidence supporting arguments on both sides of the fence, so it is imperative to get the professional opinion of your specific doctor and other trusted sources.
According to the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood, regardless of the form of birth, the nurses and doctors in the room will be able to easily collect your child's cord blood. After the cord blood has been collected, it is them cryogenically frozen in a professional storage facility known as a cord blood bank. It is still unknown the lifespan of these cells once cryogenically frozen, but the first cord blood was banked during the 1970s and is still viable today. As the years and technology progress, there may be more medical issues that can be treated or cured with cord blood.
Keep in mind that the need to bank cord blood may not be for everyone. The American Association of Pediatrics has gone so far as to recommend that families not bank cord blood if there is no family history of diseases that can be treated with cord blood, although every case is looked at on an individual basis. The sheer price of preserving and storing your child's umbilical cord blood may be out of reach for many parents, so these negatives must be weighed with the positive. If your child is showing signs of a disease or disorder that can be treated with cord blood or you have another child that needs the life-saving cord blood, the price will be greatly warranted. Generally speaking, cord blood is infrequently used with siblings, but is priceless if it is ever needed. Furthermore, as technology advances, the cord blood may be able to be used for more diseases, disorders, and medical conditions for your child today and tomorrow. Although today adults over about 115 pounds can be treated successfully with cord blood, who knows what breakthroughs may take place tomorrow? Speaking with your doctor will be able to aid you in making an informed decision about banking cord blood that benefits your family.


Cord Blood: You Are Your Own Best Donor
When it comes to finding a donor for any medical issue, there are a number of problems and concerns. In most instances, individuals cannot find a proper match for their specific needs, leaving them unable to have a transplant. This is especially true with adoptive children who may not have biological siblings or other family members to check for matches, children without siblings or family members, and individuals of certain races or ethnicities that may not have access to other individuals of their race or ethnicity in their area. Even after a match is found, it is not guaranteed that the transplant will be a success, since the human body is conditioned to repel anything it deems "foreign," even if the item will potentially save your life. Instead of having to worry about these concerns, imagine serving as your own donor, ensuring a perfect match every time and greatly diminishing the worry about rejection. For these many reasons, you may wish to bank cord blood.
According to the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood, cord blood is the blood that is found within the umbilical cord at birth. The umbilical cord serves as a lifeline between mother and child, allowing nutrients to pass to the child in the womb. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which have the potential to treat and cure a host of diseases, from cancer to Parkinson's. The unique healing aspects of stem cells revolve around the fact that these cells have yet to be given a specific role to play in the human body. These indeterminate cells have the ability to become any type of cell that the body decides it needs, whether it will become a blood cell, bone cell, muscle cell, or any other cell imaginable, stem cells can transform into any cell most needed.
The reason why stem cells from cord blood work so well in transplants is because they take on the responsibility of the non-working cells they attempt to replace. For instance, in people suffering from leukemia, their body is no longer producing the appropriate number of white blood cells in their bone marrow. Before cord blood, leukemia patients must wait to find a bone marrow match and then undergo and transplant that may or may not work. Instead, the match is guaranteed, since the blood comes directly from your body, and the stem cells quickly translate into cells that will become properly working bone marrow to ensure production of white blood cells to fight the disease. Since stem cells can become any type of cells the body needs most, cord blood is used to treat and potentially cure numerous diseases and disorders, including sickle cell anemia and many forms of cancer, especially those affecting infants and children.
Since no donor is required, you do not have to suffer through the waiting period of seeing if a matching cord blood donor will be found. Treatment can begin immediately, allowing you a better chance for a complete recovery since the disease or disorder will not have taken a great hold on your body. Additionally, you can serve as a cord blood donor to your sick sibling using cord blood that is far more effective than anything else you can give to a brother or sister. Many parents choose to bank cord blood in order to treat another child who is experiencing problems—especially children battling childhood cancer. Since siblings are the best chance for a proper match for any type of transplant, cord blood works in many instances to save the life of an ill brother or sister.


Choosing a Private Cord Blood Bank
Once you have made the decision to invest in your family's future by banking your baby's umbilical cord blood, begin the search for the right cord blood bank. There are numerous cord blood banks all over the country that serve as storage facilities for this crucial item, so make your decision carefully. Many parents find this search daunting, simply due to the sheer number of facilities available.
To avoid picking a cord blood bank that may not meet your wants and needs, the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood recommends that you consider the following factors when making your decision.
Price: This is a main concern to most parents, since it is not cheap to bank cord blood. However, many cord blood banks have specials depending on the need of the child or the family, so be sure to do your homework before you decide. Most cord blood banks offer dramatically reduced rates—or even free storage—if your new baby or another child is thought to need a transplant immediately. Otherwise, the best way to determine price is to contact private cord blood banks to determine if their rates are within your budget. Keep in mind that cord blood storage acts as an insurance policy for your family, so consider any other factors before immediately determining not to store your child's cord blood simply because of price. Some company's, such as Viacord, regularly offer coupons both online and at doctors' offices, and many cord blood banks can provide payment plans as well.
Location: There are private cord blood banks all over the country, so you are sure to find one near your home. Furthermore, many hospitals work in cooperation with private cord blood banks, especially those that specialize in birthing babies, so ask your doctor, nurse, or midwife about this option. Once you have identified a private cord blood bank in your area, make an appointment to visit and discuss your options with the bank's professional staff. These trained and knowledgeable individuals will be able to answer any and all questions regarding cord blood storage and the fees and tasks associated with the storage. Furthermore, the facility will identify a method for collecting the cord blood, as private cord blood banks often work in cooperation with a hospital on this issue.
Reputability: In many instances, this search will provide you with numerous options, but how can you ensure the facility is reputable and working in your best interest? The answer rests in the hands of the American Association of Blood Banks, the AABB. This association regularly inspects blood banks all over the country, providing an accredited status much like that provided in the college and university system. Before you decide on a specific cord blood bank, contact the AABB to determine if the private blood bank is accredited or if it has any complaints lodged against the facility by other patrons. Think of the AABB as the final word that you can trust in whether or not the cord blood bank in your location is reputable and worthy of your child's precious cord blood.
After you have considered these three main aspects regarding the storage of your child's cord blood, the final decision should be less imposing than attacking the decision blindly. Be sure to keep an open mind during your search to find a facility that works well with your situation. The internet is a perfect research tool, as a quick and simple web search will provide you with countless options for private cord blood banks all over the country—and all over the world. Before you decide against this option, make the time to speak with a professional at one of these banks in order to make the most informed decision about the medical promises that cord blood can offer to your baby or another child in your family. Finally, if you decide against banking your baby's cord blood, consider donating the blood to a public cord blood bank for research purposes and public use.