When you hear about cord blood, you might think it’s something strange or even unnecessary. However, if you are a parent-to-be or know someone who is one, then you will know that cord blood is definitely not something weird; rather it’s a very important source of stem cells. Cord blood banking is the process of storing your baby’s umbilical cord in case it’s needed for a future medical need. Today, several organizations and institutions offer this service to parents who want to safeguard their child’s potential future. In this blog post, we explore the world of private cord blood banks as well as the pros and cons of hiring an external service provider versus doing it on your own.
What is a Cord Blood Bank?
A cord blood bank is a facility that stores umbilical cord blood for future medical use. Cord blood is the blood that remains in the placenta and in the umbilical cord after birth. This blood is rich in stem cells that can be used to treat a variety of diseases. Cord blood stem cells can be used to treat over 80 diseases including leukemia, lymphoma, anemia, autoimmune diseases like diabetes, thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and many more. After birth, cord blood can be collected from the placenta and the umbilical cord. Cord blood banks store this blood, so that it is available for future use if necessary.
Why Should You Use a Cord Blood Bank?
Cord blood is rich in stem cells, which are immature cells that can differentiate into a variety of tissues. Due to the abundant number of their cells, cord blood can be used to treat several life-threatening diseases. You should consider storing your baby’s cord blood in a private bank if there is a family history of a disease that can be treated with a cord blood transplant. One important thing to keep in mind is that cord blood is rich in stem cells, but they are not exactly like the cells found in bone marrow. They are what is called ‘haematopoietic’ stem cells, which means that they can produce red blood cells, platelets, and different types of white blood cells. Bone marrow cells, on the other hand, are ‘hematopoietic’ stem cells, and they can produce all 3 types of blood cells.
How to Find the Best Cord Blood Bank for Your Baby?
There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the best cord blood bank. First, you need to see whether the facility is CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) accredited. This is a quality assurance standard maintained by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that the facility has met certain standards for laboratory procedures, personnel, and management. Another important thing to look at is the quality of the facility’s test methods. Research the number of births the facility has handled in the last year, and whether there are any complaints against the company. The best way to do this is by reading review articles that have been written by parents, who have first-hand experience with the company. It is also important to find out whether the private cord blood bank offers any discounts to expecting mothers.
Bottom line
Cord blood banking is a very important service that can be extremely beneficial for your baby, so it’s important to choose a reputable company that offers high-quality services. You can find the best cord blood banks in the country listed here.
