Your Family Benefits From A Private Cord Blood Bank

We should all know about the benefits of cord blood storage in the world of medicine. The stem cells in umbilical cord blood are used to treat people with many diseases such as anemia, thalassemia and leukemia. These stem cells can be preserved and stored in cord blood banks. There are two types of banks, private and public. Once your cord blood has been collected, you have two options. One is to donate the blood to a public cord blood bank to be used by anyone who needs a cord blood transplant. Your second option is to keep it stored in a facility where it is available only to you and your family. This facility is a private cord blood bank.

What Is A Private Cord Blood Bank?

The main feature of a private bank is that you can store your own cord blood to be used by yourself or someone in your family in case one of you needs a cord blood transplant. This is also known as family banking. If your family has a history of genetic blood or immune system related diseases it is of great advantage to store your cord blood. In case you or someone in your family is diagnosed with having one of these diseases then you have the comfort of knowing that your own cord blood is immediately available to be used for a transplant.

The private banks usually have an enrolment fee as well as a collection fee. There is also a maintenance fee you need to pay to keep your cord blood stem cells securely stored and viable for future use. The fees vary from bank to bank, with some being more expensive than others. You must be careful about that as some banks may charge less because they don't perform all the screening tests on the blood to save costs. Cheaper does not necessarily mean better. You will need to check all the credentials of the bank before storing your blood there.

There are many ways that private banks try and keep the charges reasonable for you. Some offer discounts if you prepay for a longer storage period instead of a year at a time. Others include the first year storage fees in their collection charge. Some include courier charges as well so you don't need to search for a separate courier service to send the blood. There are banks that offer family discounts if you are planning to store the cord blood of more than one child.

1. AlphaCord
2. Viacord
3. Cord Blood Registry
4. Corcell
5. Cryobanks International

These private cord blood banks are all affiliated to the AABB or American Association of Blood Banks. If you have any other bank in your area that you are considering, make sure it is certified by the AABB, especially for the processing of cord blood stem cells.

The main advantage of banking your cord blood in a private bank is that it is stored exclusively for your use. It is a good way to ensure that you or anyone in your family can immediately start treatment in case a cord blood transplant is required. Cord blood storage is a way to ensure your family has a healthy future.