Selecting Cord Blood Bank

Once you decide to store your cord blood, there are many factors you will need to consider when selecting cord blood bank. First you need to decide whether you want to donate to a public cord blood bank or store your own blood in a private bank. After that it would be advisable to make a cord blood bank comparison. When it is time to deliver your baby, you would have already made your choice. You could check the following factors in each bank before making your final decision.

What You Need To Know

First you need to check if the shipping service is included in the contract. Some banks will give you the name and contact number of the courier you need to send the blood with. Most private banks include the shipping charges in their enrolment fee. It would be easier to have it all included so that you don't have to worry about how to send the cord blood.

Another thing you need to check is if they perform all the tests on the cord blood as well as the maternal sample following the standards specified by the AABB (American Association of Blood Banks). Also make sure you are informed about the test results.

You also need to make sure the bank is accredited with the AABB. You should try and avoid any bank that isn't, as their testing and storing facilities may not be that reliable.

A bank which stores only cord blood would be a better choice than one which stores multiple samples as this could lead to contamination.

Check with the bank regarding the steps they will take in case they go bankrupt. I mean, what happens to your cord blood if that happens? They should be able to give you a guarantee that your cord blood will be safe and maybe sent to another facility in such a situation. Cord blood is known to be viable up to ten years at least, so you should be assured that it will be stored that long and more if possible.

Ask experienced parents

There is no better way to get accurate information than from the people who have already dealt with the bank while selecting cord blood bank, you are considering. Are they happy with the service? Did they face any difficulty when sending and storing their cord blood? Was it easy for them to have access to their cord blood when required? If you get positive answers from these parents, you know you have chosen the right bank.

After you have weighed all these things while selecting cord blood bank, you need to look at the price factor. If you are a cord blood donor, then there is no charge. A private cord blood bank will charge you an enrolment fee and yearly storage fees. Some offer discounts if you prepay for a long period of time. You can check what each bank has to offer in terms of discounts or different payment options to suit your budget. But you need to be very careful, a cheaper bank may be so because it does not have proper accreditation or lacks proper testing or storage facilities.

Keeping the above factors in mind for selecting cord blood bank, you can't go wrong in choosing the most appropriate cord blood bank for you.