Cord Blood Banking

[TransatlanticCityGirl]

We are considering storing our baby's cord blood privately, but really struggling to make a final decision. Thought I would post our dilemma in case anyone has any facts to add, or experiences to share?

Factors we've considered so far:

• The cost is very expensive. We are in the fortunate position that we can afford to bank our DDs cells privately, and probably won't miss the money, but we're also not the type of people to throw money away needlessly. So we want to be sure we are investing in something worthwhile.
• We don't have any family history of the diseases currently treatable with stem cells, although we are hopeful that advances in research extend the list of conditions which do exist in our family (e.g. cancer, the biggest killer in my family). Still, as at today, it's very unlikely we'll ever need to use those cells.
• We want to avoid cutting the cord until after it has finished pulsating, as we believe there's more chance DD will benefit from the blood now than at some point in the future. However the longer you leave the cord unclamped, the less chance of extracting the required volume of blood. If the sample is insufficient we would lose about 40% of the total cost.
• The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists are not convinced that people like us have a need to bank privately
• However if DD were to ever develop an illness that could have been cured with her stem cells, we would absolutely hate ourselves for not having done it. Not sure I would ever forgive myself in the unlikely event that were to happen
• There is a small chance her stem cells could be used by another member of our immediate family, if there was a match
• No one is sure how long stem cells can be stored for. Currently companies don't offer to store for more than 25 years, simply because they don't know how viable the cells would be after that. But after 25 yrs we could potentially extend the storage contract as by then we should know if it's worth it or not. That said, it's possible that once DD reaches 25 yrs old, the cells won't be of any use.

Does anyone else have any views / info that could help us make a decision? I'm 36 weeks and we've completely hit a brick wall when it comes to making a choice!!!

I would be interested to read responses of people who have done this and/or doctors / medical practitioners. We are also thinking about doing it - I am going to discuss it with my consultant at the next appointment. I have a bit longer to decide though, am only 24 weeks at the mo.

Hi,
I have been doing a research on the cord blood banking in the UK. I am exactly in the same situation as presented by you and was wondering what the outcome of your decision was and whether you received any helpful advice? I would appreciate your feedback! Many thanks in advance!

I can't vouch for how accurate this is, so keep doing your own research, but I was told by our antenatal teacher that advances are being made all the time in stem cell research, which means that cord blood isn't likely to be the best or only source in the future. Her view (and it's only based on her opinion!) was it wasn't worth doing given the cost and continuing medical advances.

As you've said there's also a connection with delayed cord clamping (if that's what you're thinking about doing), and there's an interesting article here midwifethinking.com/2011/02/10/cord-blood-collection-confessions-of-a-vampire-midwife/

Hi. I am definitely going to do this. I really wouldn't want this side of medicine to take off and my child to miss out. They are already doing amazing things in trials for children with dilated cardiomyopathy and there are also some trials re diabetes (which runs in my husband's family).

It's worth remembering that if your child got leukaemia their own stem cells carry the problem so are no good. I actually work with children with cancer (but am not a doctor) and think its just crazy how few cords we are collecting in the uk when at the moment they can be lifesaving. At the end of the day its a once in a lifetime chance and I think (if you can afford it) its too good to miss.

My dilemma is what company to go for. I might go for virgin who can save it in 2 samples. The larger sample is available if a member of the public needs it for say cancer treatment but is yours if no one needs it. The smaller one is yours and they think in the next few years they will be able to expand this so it will be useable too (at the moment the smaller sample is just too small to do anything with). So whilst I feel uncomfortable with keeping a cord which might save another child's life, I also wouldn't want to need it and then find out someone else has used it if the technology to expand it doesn't work.