Cord Blood FAQs

Your questions about stem cells and cord blood banking answered.

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Should we privately preserve our newborn's cord blood?

Stem cell research is amongst the most promising in health technology today considering the wide range of diseases that stem cells can cure or treat. This is an area of medicine that is still at its first stages, and even though it has been established that cord blood transplants are a suitable alternative to bone marrow transplants in several malignant and non-malignant blood diseases. Health economists are well aware of the dispute regarding the economical rationality behind banking your baby's cord blood in a private bank. Even though today we are mainly using cord blood to treat blood diseases, it is quite likely that we'll use it to treat other life-threatening diseases in the future such as Heart Disease, Diabetes, Alzheimer, Parkinson, CNS Injuries, etc. As long as purchasing this service does not stop you from essential life necessities such as proper education or life saving medications, it is definitely an option to look into.

Should I preserve my newborn's cord blood at a private or public bank?

There are two routes one must choose from with regards to storing cord blood, they are known as private storage and public storage. The differences are self explanatory in that public is free of charge, but you lose ownership of the blood. The genetic data of your baby's cord blood unit enters an international network where it can be used without your permission. If you or a family member require that sample at a later point in the future there is a chance that it can be available, but it is not promised. When banking privately, your baby's cord blood is your property and can only be used at your discretion. In addition, it is private property and will not enter any international or local database.