5 Reasons Cord Blood Banking is Worth it For Your Child
Emerlinda on
Cord blood banking is a great way to protect your family's future. It's also one of the most affordable life-long medical insurance policies you can buy. Cord blood cells are rich with hematopoietic stem cells that can be used in the treatment of many diseases including leukemia and lymphoma. Over the last decade or so, newborn stem cell banking has grown in popularity as more and more parents learn about their potentially lifesaving benefits.If you are an expectant parent and have been doing your research on preserving your baby’s stem cells, then you might be weighing out the pros and cons to see if it's right for your family. Or maybe you have decided to definitely collect your baby’s stem cells but are trying to decide between a private bank and a public donation bank. Either way, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you and your family, so it’s important to make the right choice for your family. In the past, we have looked at the pros and cons of storing vs. donating cord blood, but today we are focusing on private storage and counting down the top 5 reasons cord blood banking is worth it for your child and your family.
What is Newborn Stem Cell Banking?
Before we get to our top reasons cord blood banking is worth it for your child, let’s take a step back and talk about what newborn stem cell banking is and what it entails. Newborn stem cell banking is the process of collecting, processing, and storing your baby’s stem cells immediately after birth. Your baby’s cord blood and tissues are rich in stem cells and when preserved can be used for future medical use.The stem cells in cord blood are very rich in number and can be used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases. They can also be used for treating a wide range of other medical issues such as metabolic disorders like pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs) or autoimmune disorders. Although we have discussed the differences between storing and donating cord blood in the past, the main difference comes down to cost and accessibility. When you donate stem cells, it costs nothing to the donor but you essentially lose ownership of the stem cells for future use. However, donated stem cells can be used to advance regenerative medicine research or even save someone else’s life. When you choose a private bank to preserve your baby’s stem cells, you are ensuring access and ownership to your child’s own cells for future medical use for your entire family. Private cord blood banks charge a fee that covers collection, processing, and safe storage.
5 Reasons Private Cord Blood Banking is Worth it For Your Child
We truly believe that banking with a private newborn stem cell bank is the best decision you can make for your child’s future. Not only are you investing in your child’s future, but you are also investing in your family’s future. Private cord blood banking is a smart choice for your family. Here are five reasons why:1. Preserving the power of valuable stem cellsAs we mentioned, cord blood is a rich source of stem cells, the building blocks of your child's body. Stem cells have the potential to grow into any type of cell in your child's body, including blood and immune system cells. This means that cord blood may be able to treat over 80 different diseases—and more are being discovered every day. The chances of needing a transplant are very low, but with private cord blood banking you can have access to this potentially life-saving treatment if needed at any time in the future.2. Easy and painless collection for mom and babyCollecting your baby’s stem cells from the cord blood and tissue after birth is a simple procedure. It is a safe and painless process, and will not interfere with your birth plan or your bonding time with your baby.3. A protected future for your family Your baby will always be a 100% match for their own stem cells. But what about the rest of your family? Full siblings are the most likely to be compatible matches, with a 75% chance of being at least a partial match. The child’s biological parents will always be a partial match. Extended family members like grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews are less likely to be immune compatible but still have the chance to be a partial match. If you were to go through the public banking system (donated cord blood) you would have a much smaller chance of finding a match. Public units also take more time to be located and released for use. Other family members could be a match. There is a higher chance of matching and a lower rejection rate for direct family members compared to unrelated donor stem cells.4. Limitless possibilities for the futureStem cells are being used to treat many diseases, and the scientific community is actively developing new ways of using them. Even though it has been around for over 30 years, stem cell research is still in its infancy, when you look at the grand scheme of things. When you store with a private bank, you have access to future stem cell treatments and therapies as they become available. 5. More affordable than ever Protecting your family’s future has never been easier and more affordable than now. From one-time storage fees to annual or monthly plans, most private banks like AlphaCord offer many different storage and pricing options. And hey, if you haven’t had your baby shower yet, you can add AlphaCord storage options to your gift registry.(It may be worth checking with your insurance provider to see if they will cover the cost of storage. At present, cord blood banking is a relatively new industry, and not all insurance companies offer reimbursement for storing the biological material after a child is born. However, if you do not have coverage through an employer or government program, it may be possible to get reimbursed by private healthcare providers.)
Conclusion
So there you have it, our top 5 reasons that cord blood banking is worth it for your child. We truly believe in the power of your baby’s stem cells and we hope that you take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. AlphaCord has successfully processed and stored stem cells for the past two decades for tens of thousands of families. Our long history of experience and proven track record deliver assurance in the quality and dependency of our services. If you have additional questions about newborn stem banking or storage options, please feel free to contact us.
