Before you decide on which cord blood bank to trust with your baby’s stem cells, it is important that you do sufficient research. There are many things to consider when choosing a cord blood bank—and the right one may be different for every family. Cord blood banking is an amazing opportunity for parents to prepare for their child’s future. If you have not yet decided on which bank you will be storing your baby’s cord blood, here are some helpful suggestions and considerations for all mothers looking for top cord blood bank:
Who is the Cord Blood Bank Licensed By?
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a cord blood bank is to find one that is accredited by the FDA or one that is licensed by the FDA to store cord blood. This means that the cord blood bank has been approved to store and process your baby’s cord blood after birth. The FDA prohibits the collection and use of cord blood unless the cord blood bank has been licensed. If you’re not sure if a cord blood bank is FDA licensed, ask. A licensed cord blood bank that follows FDA regulations has significantly lower risk of contamination than an unlicensed cord blood bank.
Cord Blood Banking Process
The initial step of the cord blood banking process is for the expectant mother to inform her doctor about her decision to store her baby’s cord blood. It is highly advisable that you inform your doctor well in advance so that they can inform the nurses who will be assisting you during the delivery. After the baby’s umbilical cord has been clamped, the blood remaining in the placenta and umbilical cord is collected. The blood is then processed, cryogenically frozen and stored in private or public cord blood banks. It is important to note that cord blood banking is a process that should begin during pregnancy. This is why it is important for expectant mothers to inform their doctors about their decision to store their baby’s cord blood.
What is CheckMark Certification?
The FDA regulates cord blood banks, but it does not choose which ones are best for you. Instead, it offers the CheckMark Certification to select companies that meet its criteria. The CheckMark Certification is a seal of quality that tells you that a company has met FDA standards. This is an important distinction because a company could be licensed as an umbilical cord blood bank without meeting these standards. The FDA’s website has a full list of CheckMark-approved companies. You should be sure that the company that you choose is on that list. If it is not, you should look for another company. CheckMark certification offers a great deal of reassurance that a company is trustworthy and meets certain standards. If a company does not have the CheckMark Certification, it does not necessarily mean that it is not a safe company to use. It just means that it has not been approved by the FDA.
How Long Does Cord Blood Storage Last?
The lifespan of a baby’s cord blood is currently unknown. While some companies advertise that they can store it for up to 30 years, there is no guarantee that the quality of the cord blood will remain the same after so long. Scientific evidence suggests that the best time to store your baby’s blood is at birth. However, it is important to note that there are no guarantees that stored cord blood will work once your child needs it. Researchers and the FDA agree that there is not yet enough data to suggest that cord blood will be as effective in the future as it is now. This is one of the reasons that you should research all of your options for storing your baby’s blood.
Storage Fee, Annual Fee and Discontinuing Fee
Most prospective parents have concerns over the fees associated with cord blood banking. While many services advertise that their services are free, it is important to understand that nothing in life is free. All cord blood banking companies charge a fee for their services. The most important things to consider about these fees are the storage fee, the annual fee and the discontinuing fee. These fees are what will ultimately cost you for banking your baby’s cord blood. The storage fee is the price of storing your baby’s cord blood after birth. The annual fee is how much you will pay every year to keep your baby’s blood stored. The discontinuing fee is how much money you need to pay to have your baby’s blood removed from the bank and sent to you.
Cord Blood Sample Storage and Molecular Testing
One benefit of selecting a top cord blood bank is the option to store a sample of your baby’s blood. This sample can be used for a wide range of purposes, including future research. Cord blood banks may also offer to store a sample of your baby’s blood for molecular testing. This is a type of test that determines the genetic makeup of the blood cells. Molecular testing of blood can be used to diagnose serious medical conditions in the baby, like Down Syndrome or sickle cell disease. Blood cells can also be used for tissue matching, which is how doctors determine the best match for a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, not all cord blood banks offer this service. If you’re planning on banking your baby’s blood in hopes of using it for medical purposes later on, be sure to find a bank that offers molecular testing.
Benefits of Storing Your Baby’s Cord Blood
Apart from the many misconceptions about cord blood banking, there are many benefits to storing your baby’s cord blood: - It is a source of stem cells, which can be used to treat a wide variety of diseases - Doctors can use cord blood stem cells to treat more than 80 diseases, including leukemia and sickle cell disease. - It is less likely to cause an immune reaction than other transplanted stem cells - This means that your body is less likely to reject it, which greatly increases your chances of a successful treatment. - It is more likely to match your baby’s tissues than any other donor’s tissues - Because it is your baby’s blood, there is a much higher likelihood that it will match your baby’s tissues than any other donor’s tissues. - It is less likely to cause graft-versus-host disease in the recipient - GVHD occurs when the transplanted cells attack your baby’s cells. Because the cord blood cells are less likely to cause an immune reaction, they are less likely to cause GVHD.
Disadvantages of Cord Blood Banking
There are many misconceptions about cord blood that parents need to understand before deciding to bank their child’s blood. Here are some important facts about cord blood banking: The chance that your child will need his or her own cord blood is very slim. First, he or she will need to be diagnosed with a condition that can be treated with stem cells. Then, he or she will need to be a suitable match for his or her own blood. Finally, the cells must be high quality. Another misconception about cord blood banking is that it is free. While many banks advertise that they provide this service for free, it is important to read the fine print. Many of these banks charge you for the collection and transportation of the blood.
Conclusion
One important thing to remember when deciding on which cord blood bank you'll use is that not all banks are created equal. Choosing a top cord blood bank is a big decision and one that can have a lasting impact on your child's health and well-being in the future. Before selecting a bank, it is important to do sufficient research and find a bank that meets your needs and provides high-quality storage and processing. A good place to start is by choosing a top cord blood bank on our list and reading its reviews.