Is Cord Blood Banking Expensive For What It Offers?

Are you going to be parents soon?

Are you thinking about opting for cord blood banking? 

Are you hesitating due to the high cost? 

There is no doubt that cord blood banking and its costs are considered to be expensive. Not all can afford it, especially when they are expecting some added expenses. Having a baby, the medical costs, and taking care of all its needs comes with a lot of expenses. It is indeed a complex financial situation every parent goes through. And blocking a considerable amount of money for cord blood banking might seem a lot. 

Here, in this article, we will give you an answer to whether cord blood banking is worth the money or not. And for that, you must have a complete understanding of what cord blood banking is and its benefits. 

What Is Cord Blood Banking?

The umbilical cord connects the baby with its mother while the baby is in its mother’s womb. At birth, the umbilical cord and placenta of your newborn contain blood, which is rich with life-saving stem cells. 

This specific blood can be removed, stored, and also be used in the future for treating different types of health issues and diseases for a certain cost. Medical professionals do not collect or remove the cord blood directly from the baby or mother; they collect the blood from the umbilical cord after they cut the umbilical cord during the birth. 

The placentas and stem cells in the umbilical cord are called hematopoietic stem cells. These cells can be used in order to produce healthy new cells by replacing the damaged cells. That means all those people with certain health conditions will be benefited from these. 

For treating more than 70 types of diseases, stem cells are used as per the ACOG. Here are some of the major health conditions of diseases where stem cells work great:

• Immune system conditions. 
• Neurological disorders. 
• Genetic disorders. 
• Cancers, like lymphoma and leukemia. 

Benefits Of Cord Blood Banking

On the basis of your purpose and exactly where you are storing the cord blood of your child, the benefits of an umbilical cord vary. In case you have opted for a private cord blood bank, you will be capable of utilizing the stem cells to directly benefit a family member in case of need. 

On the other hand, if you are storing your baby’s cord blood in a public facility, you will also get benefits. Here, stem cells can help treat other people with several health conditions, such as some specific immunologic or metabolic conditions and cancers. 

Bone marrow transplant is another really popular option for treating all those diseases and health conditions. But it has been seen that stem cells are more effective than bone marrow. Here are the advantages of using stem cell transplants in place of bone marrow transplants for testing medical conditions.  

As per the ACOG, here are the benefits:

• During cancer treatments, the stem cells of cord blood can strengthen the immune system overall. 
• When it comes to the collection, collecting stem cells is much easier than collecting bone marrow. Also, the entire collection process is less painful and invasive for the donor. 
• In the case of stem cell transplantation, the chance of a match between the donor and recipients is easier. In addition to that, it is really uncommon for the body to reject stem cells. 

Is Cord Blood Banking Expensive For What It Offers? 

So, you see, you can save the life of your baby, siblings, or other close relatives from deadly chronic diseases. Cord blood banking might be expensive, but the life of your child or close family members is more than the cost you need to bear. 

Also, you can use the stored cord blood and stem cells more than once. When you opt for any of the best cord blood banking, you do not need to worry at all about the collection, transportation, and deliveries in case of need. 

All you just need to do is choose the best possible price for the cord blood bank for your child. Also, several cord blood banking storing programs are available that let you pay the amount on a regular installment basis. That means you do not need to pay the hefty amount all at once. 

Opt For Cord Blood Banking

Cord blood banking is worth the cost undoubtedly. However, there many of us do not have the financial privilege to afford this blessing of medical science. That doesn’t mean you will just let the cord blood of your child be thrown away. 

You can opt for a public cord blood bank and store the cord blood there. This will always save a life.