You may have to make several big financial decisions before your baby’s born– the design of the nursery, purchasing the baby essentials, the hospital you want to get the baby delivered, the stroller that you might want for the little one, and the pediatrician you might need for your baby.
Also, apart from these things, there’s also one more thing that you should consider – cord blood banking, which is ultimately going to change your life.
With the advent of stem cell therapy, however, this umbilical cord along with the umbilical cord blood may prove invaluable in the future to treat over 80 life-threatening illnesses.
In the process, while you might get the option of donating the cord blood to a public cord blood bank, some of you might also choose private cord blood banking. However, you might have to pay a nominal price to store your baby’s stem cells privately.
Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-the-private-umbilical-cord-blood-banking-business-1398444888
The private cord blood banks take the entire responsibility from collection to cryopreservation and dispensation (as per the medical emergency).
Cord Blood Collection
Immediately after the delivery is completed and the placenta is slowly separating or is separated, the doctor may collect valuable stem cells which are left behind in the placenta and umbilical cord into a sterile bag, by inserting a needle into the cord. (The amount of cord blood collected depends upon the weight of the baby). Therefore, while you’re getting hospitalized to deliver your baby, don’t forget to carry the cord blood collection kit (given to you from the bank, while signing the agreement) along with you. Once the cord blood collection gets completed it is sent to the labs for quality testing, processing, and preservation.
Processing The Baby’s Cord Blood
Isolation of stem cells is a critical step before cord blood banking. Some of the best private cord blood banks use FDA-approved and AABB and FACT-NET CORD accredited, a functionally closed and sterile system for processing cord blood. This indicates that your baby’s cord blood is getting processed by maintaining international health, safety, and environmental standards. This also ensures that the recovery rates of stem cells are higher. Moreover, the stem cells are processed consistently, and without a chance of manual error.
Preservation or Banking Of The Baby’s Stem Cells
When it comes to cord blood banking, some of the reputed cord blood banks insist on the highest standards so that you get the best transplant outcome. Therefore, along with the best designed cryogenic storage tanks, the best cord blood banks stress upon the preparation of the stem cells for long-term storage, without letting the quality of the stem cells deteriorate over time. Evidence shows preservation of the stem cells for over two decades after maintaining such world-class standards keeps the stem cells healthy and good to use, making it a lasting gift to your children that could even be passed on to your grandchildren.
You Have an Option of Storing Your Baby’s Stem Cells Locally or Internationally
Besides these, some of the reputed cord blood banks give you the financial coverage underwritten by some of the leading insurance companies like AIA so that you wouldn’t have to worry about the transplantation cost.
If you are moving countries, you can talk to a stem cell bank about moving the storage somewhere close to you. It can be shipped in its frozen state anywhere in the world. Accidents might happen in-between. So, should the cord blood lose its viability at the point of transplant, or matching HLA is not to be found from the repositories; the best cord blood banks ensure that cord blood stem cells are replaced at no additional cost within 14 business days or compensated up to INR 2 million.
All said and done, private cord blood banking is worth it.
So, as to-be-parents, before you zero down on the cord blood bank you trust, we tell you why Cordlife India, a brand known for its premium-ness should be your first and only choice.
