What is Cord Blood Banking?
This is a collaborative post.
Congratulations on your pregnancy! There is a lot to think about and plenty of information being thrown at you. You may have already heard about cord blood banking, but with lots of other planning going on at the moment, you might not know the ins and outs of what it actually is.
Fret not, as this post is here to break down cord blood banking and the options you have.
Curious? Read on!
Why store cord blood?
When we talk about cord blood banking, it is as literal as it sounds. After your baby is born, the umbilical cord has been cut and the placenta delivered, a phlebotomist will carry out the cord blood collection. It will all happen in a separate room and will not affect your birth plan.
You store the blood to collect and bank the powerful stem cells that it contains. These stem cells can be used to treat over 80 conditions worldwide, including blood disorders, blood cancers and metabolic disorders.
There are a few options for cord blood banking. You can bank them publicly or privately. If you’re unsure about what to choose, let us break down the options for you.
Private Storage
This option does cost money as you need to pay for the treatment and storage of your samples; however, there are some good benefits to storing privately (American readers can find out about stem cell banking in the US here). You will be providing your baby with a lifelong safety net. Throughout their entire life, they will have access to their own stem cells should they need them.
Your child will always have access to a 100% genetically matched stem cell source should they ever need treatment. The cord blood stem cells can also be used by siblings, as they have a good chance of being at least a partial genetic match.
Donation or Public Banking
You and your family won’t have direct access to the stem cells, but you will make your cells available to those on the donor list. To donate, you will need to consult with your doctor and midwife to ensure that your hospital is willing to participate in the process of cord blood banking. There are only a handful of hospitals in the UK that are about to collect cord blood.
You then need to give written or verbal consent to your midwife prior to the birth of your baby. After your baby is born, the cord is cut, and the placenta is delivered – same as collection for private storage – the placenta and the remaining cord will be handed to the correct staff, ready for storage.
Your choice
Private storage or donation of cord blood simply saves a valuable resource that would otherwise be discarded as medical waste. The choice, however, is entirely yours to make. If you would rather keep your placenta or plan on a lotus birth, would rather see if thrown out, or anything like that, you are in control. Research and planning are key.
Is cord blood banking something you have considered? Let me know in the comments below.
