Basic cord blood information.

Storing cord blood for your child.

One of the main reasons that people look for cord blood information is because they are interested in storing the blood for use by the child who donates it. The blood taken from your baby's cord is guaranteed to be a match should the need arise for a transfusion. At present blood related diseases can be cured through the use of these transfusions, but as research continues and advances the potential use for the stem cells found in cord blood is bound to increase. Already, research has been carried out on animals proving that stem cell transplants could potentially be used to help in cases of congenital heart failure, diabetes and many other degenerative diseases.

Storing cord blood for all of your children.

If you already have a child with a disease that can be effectively treated using cord blood and the stem cells found within it then you should look into the possibilities available. Some storage companies do offer this service and they will test the blood from your newborn baby's cord. There is approximately a 25% chance that this blood will match the siblings of your baby and if it is a match then the blood can be used for a transfusion to potentially save any family member's life.

Donating cord blood.

Looking for cord blood information is a vital step whether you are looking to store the blood for your family's use or to donate. Donation is free and the blood will either be used to give patients in need of a transfusion or used to further research associated with stem cells. Some public blood banks work on a non profit basis so when they sell the cord blood to research companies they do not make a monetary profit, however some companies legally operate on a for profit basis. Both serve the same purpose and the choice of whether to use a non-profit or for profit organization will be your own. Numerous tests have already been carried out on animals to try and further the possibilities associated with stem cell research and through the study of animals including mice and even thick equine umbilical cords much has already been discovered but it is vital that this work can be continued using cord blood from humans and, in particular a viable placental source for embryonic stem cells.

The costs.

It is free for you to donate cord blood to a public blood bank. It will cost the bank approximately $1000 to remove the blood and pay for other costs associated with the extraction and storage. If you use a private storage facility then you will need to pay an initial cost of about $1500 followed by annual payments of $100. Some companies will offer a discount if you are willing to pay up front for some or all of the storage costs while most will offer a variety of different payment plans to suit your requirements. In most cases it will be necessary to pay the initial cost up front but the continued storage costs can either be paid annually or monthly.

Should the need arise.

There may come a day when your child or another family member needs the cord blood that you have stored. When this day does arrive you will need to contact the storage facility and they will remove one of the units they have and, if necessary, test for viability. They will also test for potency to ensure that the blood is still of some use. If this is the case then the remaining blood will be released to the hospital or other institution where the transfusion is due to take place.

The possibilities of stem cell research are extensive and by storing your child's cord blood you could help save their life now or in the future. By donating you could save anyone's life and potentially, if your blood is used for research, save thousands of lives.

Blood cord banking for new life