Introduction
New parents often face the decision of whether to save their baby's cord blood, which is a rich source of stem cells that help combat life-threatening blood disorders and cancers. Cord blood banking is a popular method that stores blood from the baby's umbilical cord after delivery, which is more convenient and cost-effective.
However, parents often prefer private banking for personal medical treatment, which can be expensive.
Many doctors and healthcare professionals discourage parents from storing cord blood in private banks. However, selecting a dependable and reputable place to store your child’s cord blood privately can provide adequate storage space at a reasonable cost.
The choice between public and private cord blood banking depends on the individual's financial needs and preferences.
How Do Private Cord Blood Banks Function?
Cord blood collection is a safe and risk-free process that involves cutting the umbilical cord and draining the blood.
Consequently, the cells extracted can treat severe illnesses like genetic disorders, immunodeficiencies, and neurological diseases, potentially saving someone's life.
Cord blood stems are more useful than bone marrow due to the lack of matching with the recipient. Donating to a public cord bank is usually free, while storage in a private bank allows for easy retrieval later.
However, there are cons to cord blood banking, such as needing preparation during pregnancy, screening processes, and eligibility based on medical history.
Cord blood donors may not perform delayed cord clamping, limiting the chance for newborns to receive additional stem cells.
Thus, cord blood banking offers potential life-saving treatment but may be too expensive or time-consuming for some families.
Comparing Private Cord Blood Banks
Understanding the costs of the best private cord blood banks is important to come to a conclusive decision.
This helps you find a standardized costing. So here’s a list for your understanding:
AlphaCord
AlphaCord provides cord blood banking services that start at $995 for the first year and $150 for the following years.
Moreover, the service includes cord blood and cord tissue, with a 20-year package starting at $2,495 for cord blood only.
However, the price rises to $3,695 for cord blood and tissue. On the other hand, if you opt for the full package, you will need to pay $5,995 for cord blood, tissue, and placental tissue.
Also, they offer a 12-month payment plan for $253 per month for cord blood only. This cost changes to $446 monthly for cord blood and cord tissue.
However, you can also opt for the complete package of $645 per month for cord blood, cord tissue, and placental tissue.
Cryocyte
Cryocyte, a subsidiary of Cryopoint, has been processing cord blood since 2004. This private cord blood bank in Brownsburg, Indiana, offers affordable, safe, secure storage choices. Cryocyte's service offers storage plans ranging from a year to 20 years.
Moreover, their cord blood and tissue storage solutions are affordable compared to most private banks. Thus, their processing costs begin at $849, with an annual storage fee of $115. Cord blood banks offer convenient payment plans with the lowest first collection fee.
Cryocyte is a great option for families looking to protect their loved one's long-term health and well-being.
Cells4Life
Cells4Life, the largest stem cell bank in the UK, offers a range of services and storage methods to ensure the best possible health for your child. Their innovative technology, CellsPlus, provides up to three times more stem cells than other cord blood processing methods in the UK.
Furthermore, Cells4Life is the country's only placenta storage bank. It also allows multiple treatments through the process of storing cord blood and tissue in various samples.
This means that only the required amount for treatment is used, leaving the rest for future therapies.
Moreover, CellsPlus optimizes delayed cord clamping, processing even small quantities of cord blood and delivering three times more stem cells than other systems.
Select The Best For Your Child’s Future
When considering private cord blood banking, it is important to make an informed decision. Factors to consider include company stability, cost, specimen requirements, and storage methods. Thus, thoroughly research the bank's accreditation process and regulatory oversights.
However, be cautious of low prices. An unexpectedly lower rate can indicate financial constraints or potential future cuts.
Therefore, it is recommended to understand the blood screening process and whether all specimens are saved, even if they are of poor quality.
Additionally, consider how the bank stores samples, which is crucial for the future.
Ultimately, deciding to bank your baby's cord blood and storage location is up to you and your family. Take the time to carefully weigh all the pros and cons before making this important decision.
Leave a Reply