About Cord Blood

The Facts About Cord Blood Banking
By Brenna Smithy

Parents are often opting these days to save their newborn's umbilical blood for the possibility the baby or a close family member might need it to treat a disease. Statistics available so far indicate only a one in 2700 chance the baby will need the cord blood and a one in 1400 chance other near family members may need it. However, this blood can be used for non-family members and is being used to treat diseases and save lives. It is less likely the blood will be a match for non-family members but many matches are made successfully.

Cord blood banking is the process of obtaining and storing a newborns umbilical blood. The umbilical cord is the cord that attaches from the babies belly button to the placenta in the mother's womb during pregnancy. The umbilical cord is the channel for provision of nutrients and oxygen to the growing fetus. Until recently the umbilical cord and the placenta were considered medical waste and simply disposed of after birth.

Stem cells, researchers discovered, could cure many diseases such as leukemia and help others such as brain injury and Alzheimer's. Umbilical cord blood is full of these precious stem cells. Cerebral palsy has been successfully treated with stem cells. As research continues it is believed even more uses for stem cells such as spinal cord repair will be discovers. Stem cell research is at the cutting edge of medicine and the possibilities for new healing modalities for diseases using stem cells are enormous.

Harvesting umbilical blood is totally painless to both mother and child. If you wish to donate your child's cord blood or harvest for private or public use you need to let your doctor and the bank of your choice know by the 34th week of pregnancy. The cord bank will send professionals to collect the blood from the umbilical cord after it is cut and the placenta has been delivered.

Approximately 80ml or the equivalent of 3 ounces of blood is collected. The blood needs to be collected within 10 to fifteen minutes of birth which is why arrangements must be made ahead of time. The collection of this blood does not interfere with the birth in any way. Donating to a public bank is free of charge.

After collection the cord blood is tested for any diseases. If any such diseases are discovered the family will be notified. The blood is then processed and slowly frozen to -196 degrees. The blood can be stored indefinitely so long as the temp is maintained. Cord banks have multiple back up sources of power to avoid any loss of this precious resource.

If you can afford to harvest and store your newborns cord blood by all means does so. Banking can give you peace of mind for the future health of your child. If you cannot afford to harvest and store your newborns cord blood considers donating it. It cost you nothing and is painless but may save someone's life. The cord and its blood are simply discarded if it is not harvested and will help no one. Who knows, maybe someone else's donated cord blood will help you or a family member one day.

Cord blood banking can be done privately or publicly. Public banks take donations or blood from any child whose parent decides to give that gift. Some parents cannot afford the price to store their child's cord blood but nonetheless decide to donate it to a bank so that others can be helped.

Private cord banks have an initial set up cost of 1500-2500 dollars and a yearly fee to store the blood of 100-150 dollars. Some public banks will agree to keep a portion of the blood for family use if the rest is made available for general public use. Research which cord blood bank you wish to use carefully and when you have decided give your baby or perhaps someone else the precious gift of life.

For more information on cord banking check out my article at [http://www.chordbloodbanking.net/why-are-stem-cells-important/]

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