Umbilical Cord Blood Bank

Cord blood banking??

Is cord blood banking useful? Is it worth the money? If anyways has any input on it I would greatly apreciate it. Prices on the cord blood banking?

Public Comments

1. I think it's very expensive. If I had the money, I would do it. It can help cure diseases for the child later in his/her life. EDIT:: http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/pregnancy/cord_blood_banking.html
2. I think it is rather expensive for such a slight chance of being useful. We donated ours, so that we knew that SOMEBODY would likely get some use out of it.
3. We decided that it wasn't worth the money. I found this web site very helpful in making my decision. http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org/donation/public_vs_private_donation.html We will however be donating, it's free and could benefit someone else.
4. There are over 40 diseases they can cure with the cord blood now. The number is growing every day.... I'd really like to bank just as a safety net. I know it's more expensive to get the cord in the bank (like $2000? I think)... but then after that it's only like... $150/yr. I think it's worth it. The baby is not the only one who can use the cord blood... blood relatives can possibly use it too. So it's like biological insurance for your baby and your family. If you can't afford to bank... or if you are unsure if you want to pay that much to bank... you can always donate cord blood as well.
5. I have done research on this and the best answer I found was to wait to cut the cord until it has stopped pulsating. Then your baby gets all that nutritional blood! PS There are many other benefits of waiting to cut the cord. Look it up! Be informed.
6. I have been told that unless you already have a child with a disorder that can be treated with cord blood, it is not necessary. The chances of your child needing the blood are very low, plus if your child develops a problem, it may also be present in the stem cells in the cord blood. That being said, I AM banking my baby's cord blood because my 2 y/o has neuroblastoma, a cancer that can be treated with cord blood. If you have a child with a need for cord blood, there are programs that will help you bank it at no cost to you. If money is no object, then private banking may not be a bad idea. It will always be there for your family and who knows where medical science will be 10 or 20 years from now. If your baby is Caucasian, it is likely that public cord blood banks have a match for your child already. If you are of another ethnicity, your chances of finding a match go down significantly. If your baby is of mixed ethnicity, it is unlikely a match will be available in a public bank. Many hospitals allow you to donate your cord blood. If it is not used for someone else and your baby needs it, you can reclaim it, but there are no guarantees it will still be there. Good luck! Edit: Upfront costs are about $1300 - $2000 depending on the company, and after that there is a yearly storage fee of between $100 - $150. Upfront costs may be a little higher if you decide to bank while you are in your third trimester. The companies give you a bit of a break if you make the decision earlier in your pregnancy. I am not paying anything because we qualified for the Designated Transplant Program through Cord Blood Registry.
7. I thought about it and was steered away not only by the money, but by the rate of any successful help it is in the future. I just happened to come across something on the web or Reader's Digest or something about how they make all these claims about curing so many things, but in reality, the numbers are very, very small in successes. It has great potential, but....... Try checking it out from various sources---not just the blood bank places and see what you find. My opinion is it's a waste of money, but please research things for yourself and see how you feel.