Should You Bank Cord Blood?

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

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.