What Is Cord Blood Banking, And What Are The Costs

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Blood Banking

Introduction

Cord Blood Banking!

There has been a lot of buzz revolving around cord blood banking since its inception. It stores the stem cells and blood that are present in the umbilical cord. It is stored so that in the future, the child can be saved from some particular life-threatening diseases

As this is a completely new finding. Not a lot of people are completely aware of this. They might know the basics, but not so much that they can opt for that. 

Being a parent, you need to consider a lot of things for your child. You will always want to protect your sunshine from anything bad or evil when they come into this world. Some of them you can control, and there are also some things that are beyond your control.  

What Is Cord Blood Banking?

The connection between the baby and the mother is established by the umbilical cord when the baby is in the womb. This cord is indeed a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells. When it comes to treating some specific life-threatening disease, these stem cells can do magic. 

However, when the baby is born, the umbilical cord, along with the blood that is present inside it, is discarded. Recently, some parents have been going for umbilical cord blood banking. 

Now the question comes- what is cord blood banking? 

Well, it is basically a procedure in which a trained hospital staff or a doctor collects the blood that is present inside the umbilical cord and sends it to cord blood banking in order to store the blood for future use.  

As per a number of research, stem cells, which are present in the umbilical cord, have the capability of treating more than 70 life-threatening diseases. 

Isn’t it a miraculous process? 

Those life-threatening diseases that can be cured by the stem cells of the umbilical cord include the following. 

  • Leukemia.
  • Lymphomas.
  • Inherited immune system disorder. 
  • Genetic disorder. 
  • A neurological disorder, and many more. 

Types Of Cord Blood Banking

Now, you know what cord blood banking is. It is time to check the types of cord blood banks before getting into the cost of them. There are two different types of cord blood banks. They are below. 

  • Public Cord Blood Bank

Public cord blood banks are non-profit centers where you can donate your baby’s cord blood. Here, they are used for anyone who is in need of a transplant. They are also used for research purposes. 

So, it does not provide any guarantee of accessing the cord blood you have donated in the future. However, you can always look for a match from others’ cord blood. 

  • Private Cord Blood Bank 

Unlike public cord blood banks, private cord blood banks ask for making a payment in order to store cord blood. Here, the blood will be researched only for your family, and no one else will be able to use it. Also, it will never be used for research or allotted to any other family. 

In case your family has a strong history of some particular diseases, you should opt for private cord blood banks. 

The Cost Of Private Cord Blood Banking

The private banks usually offer 3 different packages with different pricing. The pricing varies for different banks. The three packages are; 

  • Only cord blood storing. 
  • Cord blood and tissue stores. 
  • Cord blood, cord tissue, and placenta. 

The amount also differs on the basis of the process of storing and transporting the cord blood and cells to the bank. This is a one-time payment and for storing your need to pay on a yearly basis. You also can pay for around 20 years beforehand. 

Here is a basic chart of the private cord blood banking.

Package Type Usual Pricings 20 Years Pricings 
Cord Blood Only $995 $2,795
Cord Blood + Cord Tissue $1495 $3,995
Cord Blood + Cord Tissue + Placenta $1995 $6,295

 

The Cost Of Public Cord Blood Banking

At public cord blood banks, you do not need to pay a single penny. They come completely free. But at the same time, there is no guarantee that you will get your cord blood when you need it. You can get a match, though. 

As you are donating the cord blood of your child, you can not claim that in the future. 

 

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