Donate or bank?
Cord blood discussion.

Cord blood banking.

Stem cell research and cord blood donation are topics that instill different emotions in many people. There is debate over different aspects of the process, whether the research is carried out on cord blood, embryonic cells or placental blood (tests have been carried out on baby teeth and stem cells are abundant) but the facts certainly seem to point to stem cell transfusions from cord blood and other sources holding the key to curing many diseases that would otherwise go unchecked and uncured. Certainly, at present, there are alternatives to a transfusion of this sort but a stem cell transplant is a much safer and less obtrusive method of curing leukemia than chemotherapy.

Banking the blood from your child's umbilical cord may well save his or her life at some point in the future. While at present, the cases that cord blood would benefit may only be in the region of one in every 25,000, the list of diseases that can be cured using this method will surely keep growing as more and more research is afforded into the subject. When this happens the figures will increase. Recent tests on animals have shown that there is even a link between CHF and stem cells and approximately 5 million Americans suffer from Congenital Heart Failure so the potential is truly huge.

The cost of cord blood banking.

The cost of banking your child's cord blood is currently the area that attracts the most debate. The argument is that it is unfair that some parents will be able to afford it while others will not. The cost is usually around $1500 for the initial extraction and first year's storage plus anything up to $100 per annum thereafter. Given that it has been proven that cord blood remains potent for around 15 years this means a total cost of nearly $3000. It is possible to pay storage fees up front and this can save you as much as $500 off the total price but many parents believe the cost is too high to justify.

Sibling transfusions.

If you already have a child that would benefit from the use of the cord blood then you should consult a pediatrician as soon as possible. Using cord blood on the child themselves gives a 100% chance that the blood will be a match whereas it is a 25% chance that the blood will match siblings. As with any blood or organ transfusions it is imperative that the blood from the donor matches the blood from the patient to ensure a greater level of success. A failure to do this means that the body sees the imported blood as alien and fights it like it would an infection.

Donating cord blood.

There can surely be no arguments concerning the donation of cord blood. The fact is that at present bone marrow transplants are the only way to replace stem cells and only a small portion of the people who require a bone marrow transplant are ever likely to receive one. When a person is diagnosed as having a disease that requires a bone marrow transplant they are put on a long waiting list pertaining to the type of donor they need. When they reach the top of this list the search will begin for a suitable donor.

Donating cord blood is free for anyone who wishes to take part although there are currently few more than a handful of hospitals that have the capability to store cord blood. If you do not live in one of 14 states that is part of the marrow donation registry then you should contact hospitals, and in particular University hospitals, to discover whether they would be able to use the blood you donate.

The procedure for extracting cord blood.

Mothers express understandable concerns about the procedure of extracting the cord blood. Many are concerned that the procedure will harm the baby or have a negative effect on the birth itself. The blood is not taken until the birth is complete and the cord has been clamped and cut as normal. This means that there will be no effect whatsoever on either mother, baby or the birth. The extraction is only carried out at a time when the umbilical cord would normally be disposed of anyway.

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