Cord Blood Banking: Benefits, Cost, and Process
Cord blood banking has become universally accepted. In brief, anyone can go for cord blood banking. When you donate cord blood to a public bank, it goes to a social cause. That said, if you think that the same will become beneficial to you in the future, private cord blood banking must be the first option. You must find a private company that charges affordable cord banking costs. However, the company must have all the required storage facilities.
Benefits: To be more specific, the benefits that you may be able to obtain are entirely dependent on the location of your store and your intention or goal. You can store it in a public bank or a private bank. When you deposit money in a public bank, it is for the benefit of the general public. If you want it for personal use, you must choose a private banking facility. The stem cells have an intrinsic capacity to replicate themselves. Modern medical experts believe that because of this innate capacity, it’s medically precious. It is medically possible to treat various types of health problems. This possibility includes immunologic and metabolic conditions, cancer, etc. The efficiency of cord blood to fortify the overall immune system will become handy for curing diseases like cancer. Heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood sugar, unusual triglyceride or cholesterol levels, obesity, etc., are metabolic syndrome. Immunological disorders occur because of a faulty immune system. These disorders include asthma, auto-inflammatory syndrome, autoimmune disease, allergies, etc. Stem cells are also significant as far as bone marrow transplants are concerned. Collecting bone marrow from a donor is a painful process. The process of collection and storage of cord blood is easy and effective.
Cost: Private cord blood banks are for people who think that the cord blood of their baby will become beneficial for them in the future. Here, the individual will have to pay an initial amount apart from the yearly rent as cord banking costs. The initial payment will be for the collection and processing of the blood. The yearly charge is for using the storage facility. You can find affordable cord blood banks that charge merely $19.99/month. You need not pay any fee or rent if you use a public bank. These banks will have the financial support of private funds or governmental funds.
Process: If you have a plan to preserve the cord blood of your child, you must talk to the OB-GYN (obstetrician-gynecologist) about the same in advance. They will need to arrange for specialized equipment for the procedure. Top private cord blood banks will provide special storage kits, which will be safe and sterile to use. Along with the kit, there will be instructions on how to use it. The doctor or nurse who attends the delivery can collect the cord blood in this kit. Nevertheless, you will have to pay a fixed amount as cord banking costs when you opt for a private bank.
Pick a Specialized Company
You must make sure that the banking facility that you choose has premium facilities. The company must have the latest, high-quality storage facilities. There must be all the relevant sophisticated machinery and employees with medical and technical proficiency. It’s pragmatically better to choose a bank that provides both services: immune cell banking and stem cell banking. Immune cell banking is another version of cord blood banking. Here, they will isolate the white blood cells from the peripheral blood. They will keep the T-cells and similar immune cells separate and intact. This blood will become useful for immunotherapy at a later stage when you or other family members need it.
You must ensure that the company uses the BioArchive™ Storage System, the MCASSTM Immune Cell Processing System, and the AXP™ II System. Such a flawless storing system will keep the cord blood for years intact. You can check with your hospital, medical professionals, healthcare professionals, or friends to find such a reliable company. Remember, the reliability factor is vital, and you must not overlook this point. That said, you can find a whole list of such cord blood storage companies when you search through the internet. However, you must compare the quality of services, the equipment the company uses, the technical perfection of the employees, etc., before selecting a company. You must also read the reviews of the customers as these will give you a tangible concept of the dependability factor of the company.