Expecting a baby? We’re sure you’re being flooded with plenty of advice. From baby essentials to the D-day checklist and beyond, there’s a lot to wrap your head around. But in the middle of it all, something as important as cord blood banking often slips through the cracks.
And even if you do hear about it, you’re often left with more questions than answers. If that sounds familiar, don’t worry, you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll answer some lesser-known (yet important) questions about cord blood banking to help you understand it better and make an informed decision.
1. Is It Just For My Baby, Or The Entire Family
Many parents often think that cord blood is a single-use resource that can only help the baby. Well, in the early days of cord blood banking, this would have been true. But with the recent evolution of medical science, things have changed quite a lot.
Today, some advanced options like the community stem cell banking model are changing this entire picture. Instead of relying solely on the single unit stored for your baby, you get access to a much larger shared registry of stem cell units if and when a suitable match is needed.
LifeCell is one such exclusive bank offering this Community Stem Cell Banking facility. Banking with them means that if your baby, a sibling, or even a parent ever needs a stem cell match, you’re not limited to just the unit stored for your child. In fact, you will have access to a much broader pool.
2. “Delayed Cord Clamping” Vs. Cord Blood Banking: Can I Have Both?
Delayed Cord Clamping (DCC) is the practice of waiting for a couple of minutes before you cut off the umbilical cord. Experts believe that this may give the newborn an extra boost of blood from the mother and certain additional benefits. However, many parents believe that if they decide to bank their baby’s cord blood, they cannot choose DCC and vice versa.
The truth is, this is not an either-or choice, and you can have both of these done together. So even if you delay the cord clamping by 30–60 seconds, you’ll still have enough volume left in the cord to successfully bank it. Just talk to your OB-GYN and your banking coordinator ahead of time to pre-plan the flow of events.
3. What Happens To The “Stability” Of The Bank Over 20 Or 30 Years?
When you enrol with a stem cell bank, it’s a management agreement between the bank and you that lasts 21 years (or for life).
Therefore, when choosing a stem cell bank, don’t be concerned about only the pricing!
Consider the LEGACY: how long has this company been in business, if they have the necessary world-class accreditations for their lab facilities, if the storage infrastructure is built to handle emergencies like a natural disaster, and so on.
You want a bank that has been through multiple economic and technological cycles of change and still managed to thrive. Because you are not just purchasing a place to store your stem cells, you are purchasing a commitment that the stem cells will be available for you should you need them years down the road.
4. Is The Collection Process As “Intense” As It Sounds?
Expectant parents often have concerns regarding cord blood harvesting affecting the “Golden Hour” experience. Plus, they also wonder if the procedure might be painful for the newborn.
The truth is, cord blood is collected after the umbilical cord has been cut. So most likely, by the time cord blood is being collected, your baby will already be lying on your chest. And while you’d be focused on counting their fingers and toes, a professional (sometimes your Doctor) would be collecting the remaining blood from the umbilical cord…blood that would have normally been thrown away.
The collection procedure is therefore completely non-invasive and painless for both you and the infant. It takes approximately 10 minutes and will happen completely in the background of your birth experience.
5. What Diseases Can It Actually Help Treat
Cord blood stem cells are currently approved by the FDA to treat over 80 different life-threatening conditions. The primary therapeutic benefit of cord blood is to treat blood cancers (such as leukemia and lymphoma), where healthy stem cells replace the defective cells in your body.
In addition, cord blood serves as an important source of stem cells for the treatment of bone marrow syndromes, metabolic disorders (e.g., Hurler syndrome), and immune deficiencies.
Further, there is also an increasing amount of research demonstrating the use of cord blood for other regenerative therapies (such as autism, cerebral palsy, and type 1 diabetes).
The Bottom Line
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, just take a deep breath. Because you don’t need to be a medical-science expert to make a good decision. What you actually need is the right research and the right plan to secure your family’s future. And cord blood banking fits right in.
If you’re planning to enrol, or simply want to understand how it can benefit your family, you can book a free presentation with a LifeCell expert. Just visit their website or you can call them at 1800 266 5533.