Cord blood banking is a significant advancement in world medicine. It has a great effect on repairing and expanding tissues.
Realizing this point, researchers have discovered the ability to cure many diseases, and even umbilical cord blood can cure dementia, memory loss, etc. At the same time, it is also a source of stem cells to cure illness for the whole family.
Therefore, it is essential to store cord blood in the bank. So what is Cord blood banking? How does it work, and how much does it cost? Let's find out through the content of the article.
What Is Cord Blood Banking?
Cord blood is the amount of blood remaining in the umbilical cord of the placenta. After giving birth, the doctor will cut this part of the umbilical cord.
They found that the blood vessels of the placenta were still attached. Of course, this amount of blood has the effect of supplementing and nourishing the fetus in the womb. But after the baby is born, they will no longer be needed.
This blood contains all the same components as normal blood. It is entirely composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. And yet, it is also precious because many stem cells are similar to those found in the bone marrow.
Realizing the wonderful effects of cord blood, Cord blood banking was born. The bank will proceed to collect and extract and preserve these stem cells by freezing them.
At the same time, the bank also added other cells with immune function to keep it to serve the medical industry in the future.
Classification Of Cord Blood Banking Establishments
Basically, we have two types of Cord blood banking facilities: Public Cord blood banking and private Cord blood banking. If you want to learn more about these two types of banks, please refer to the content below.
Public cord blood banking
A public Cord blood banking facility is an umbilical cord blood supply available for research and general use. Usually, this source of blood cells comes from many different people. When used to treat disease, the patient and the donor are not related.
The public cord blood banking facility collects cord blood from a variety of sources. Be it any hospital or healthcare facility. However, the acceptance condition is that the medical staff at the umbilical cord machine supplier must undergo the necessary training to collect cord blood.
Usually, these blood banks do not charge a storage fee, but you will most likely have to pay an additional fee for collection.
Cord blood banking private
Unlike public Cord blood banking, with private Cord blood banking, you can choose the service of preserving your baby's cord blood. You are then entitled to use it for your personal use.
But in return, you have to spend a considerable fee. This cost includes income and maintenance fees.
The benefit you get is the opportunity to use it forever. Besides, it creates things for you to use in some necessary cases. For example, if your child, unfortunately, needs a stem cell transplant later, you now have a precious reserve.
How Does Cord Blood Banking Work?
The fact that cord blood is stored is the first experience many parents have. They are perplexed and do not know whether applying Cord blood banking requires too much paperwork. On the contrary, it is an enjoyable, practical, and relatively straightforward experience.
In fact, most mothers worry about their birth process. For this reason, they do not have time or do not think about storing fetal cord blood for their children. They have to think about many things, so they don't want to calculate more about the fees for collecting, handling, and protecting the stem blood.
Cord blood banking has recognized and understood the feelings of mothers. So the bank seems to do most of the work. As follows:
- Collection: The bank will send you a specialized kit to collect the fetal placenta. This kit will accompany you to the birthing site to contain the fetal stalk right away. And they can be stored entirely at room temperature.
- Testing: Once the umbilical cord is in place, the medical side will conduct tests to check for any signs of an infectious disease. If so, they will take reasonable measures.
- Extraction: Cord blood will be extracted from the cord blood by a healthcare provider. You can rest assured because the medical staff working here are all well-trained. So the extraction will not harm both mother and baby.
- Handling and storage: Finally, the delivery department will deliver it to Cord blood banking for long-term processing and preservation.
What Are The Benefits Of Cord Blood Banking?
Umbilical cord blood shows great hope in medicine. It doesn't even harm the baby and mother. So after pregnancy, we think you should consider and plan for cord blood storage.
Cure many diseases
Nowadays, the medical system has developed, people have discovered many stem cells and immune cells in cord blood. These cells can grow and expand quickly. It is because of this feature that cord blood is considered a miracle regenerative medicine.
According to the FDA, cord blood can treat nearly 80 different diseases. With more than 35,000 successful umbilical cord blood surgeries, including the treatment of anemia, genetic disorders, etc., it is effective in treating cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.
And yet, researchers have now discovered many solutions to using cord blood to treat several diseases that currently have no cure. This method brings cord blood cells across the blood-brain barrier, helping treat autism and Alzheimer's in the elderly.
Benefits for the whole family
Storing cord blood in Cord blood banking is like donating to buy bio insurance for your baby and family. In case anyone in the family has the above disease and needs cord blood, you can use it immediately to perform the timely treatment.
Especially that cord blood will be 100% suitable for the baby. Thus, the probability of success will be higher. Besides, stem cells in cord blood also have the same effect on siblings. It has a 25% certain probability of matching. At the same time, even aunts and uncles or grandparents have a specific match rate.
How Much Does Cord Blood Banking Cost?
After knowing the great benefits of Cord blood banking, many parents intend to send their children to cord blood. However, when it comes to costs, they often give up. Because the fee is quite expensive compared to the economic conditions of many families. Not only do you have to pay a collection fee, but you also have to pay an annual hosting fee.
Most Cord blood banking now requires you to pay an upfront fee of about $1000 to $2000. This fee covers the cost of collecting, handling, storing the blood, instruments, transportation, and testing services.
Doctors will test both mother and baby to check for any infectious diseases. If so, you will need to spend extra money to preserve it. This step is required to determine clean and valid cord blood.
You end up paying a fee that ranges from $100 to $200 each year. It is a fee for the bank to continue to maintain and preserve cord blood. Usually, the due date will be on the baby's birthday (the date of the umbilical cord cutting).
How Is Cord Blood Banking Managed?
Cord blood banking operates under the management of Health Canada. Whether public or private, Cord blood banking is required to be registered with Health Canada. According to CTO regulations, all storage operations and safety must be checked periodically.
All Cord blood banking must adhere to food and drug ethics. The act also applies to Cord blood banking facilities that store cord blood for their use. The purpose of this law is to ensure safety and minimize potential risks to the health of donors and recipients.
Under unsanitary conditions at any stage, such as collection, testing, extraction, packaging, etc., the Ministry of Health will not allow the storage and production of cord blood. All information about the CTO regulations of the Ministry of Health is transparent and clear to prevent pollution and protect the safety of human health.
Conclusion
Where cord blood is stored is a controversial issue. Whether it is a public or private Cord blood banking institution, there are different strengths. For example, Cord blood banking has a cheaper cost, but you have limited rights to use blood.
Meanwhile, Cord blood banking private allows you to use it for personal purposes without making it public. However, you will have to pay a pretty hefty price.
In general, storing cord blood has many benefits, so you should think carefully to make the right choice. Hope their posts