Things You Should Know Before Choosing a Cord Blood Bank

Today expectant parents have a plethora of choices to preserve the umbilical cord. Modern science exemplifies several advantages of collecting and storing stems cells present in the cord blood of newborn babies. The process involves collecting stem cells from the placenta and umbilical cord, usually thrown away immediately after birth. These stem cells have life-saving potential, as they can treat blood disorders, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer. The process is relatively painless and quick, posing no threat to the baby and the mother. There are two options to store stem cells- private and public cord blood banks. While preserving cord blood in a public bank is free of cost, you need to pay a hefty amount to store it in a private bank.

One of the advantages of storing your newborn baby’s cord blood in a private bank is that it is reserved and accessible only to the immediate members of the family. On the contrary, donating cord blood to a public bank has limited benefits as it is available to anyone who needs it at the time. Public cord blood banks might also use stem cells for research.

Nonetheless, how do you identify your options while choosing cord blood banks? What are the signs of a reputed cord blood bank? Let us take a look.

Remember to review every available option a few months before the delivery so that you can take an informed decision without any haste.

Legitimate

Before choosing any private blood bank, you need to ensure it is legitimate. Cord blood banks require accreditations and licenses to verify their legitimacy. Banks with accreditations can operate legally and adhere to specific standards. Choosing banks with licenses and accreditations is often safe because they uphold high standards. Their testing and storage facilities are well above par.

Previous records and experience

The success of cord blood banks reflects in the number of stem cell therapies and clinical applications. It also displays their efficiency in handling cord blood units, storage facilities, and safety standards. It is wise to check their reputation before choosing to bank your baby’s cord blood. You can check reviews and testimonials of previous bankers and make a wise decision as; availing facilities of a private bank to store cord blood is an expensive affair but a blessing in case you need them in the future.

It is also necessary to choose blood banks with financial stability as such banks ensure the proper transition of cord blood. Saving your baby’s cord blood is a personal choice. It is known as biological insurance against diseases or illnesses that might never crop up in your life. In most cases, your child or family members might never really require cord blood. However, you can still donate stem cells to a public bank to help someone in need.