Why should you consider banking cord blood?

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the information about cord blood banking? Here are the top 3 reasons behind why you should consider preserving your baby’s newborn stem cells.

Reason 1: When cryogenically preserved, newborn stem cells remain viable in the long-term.

When you choose to bank your baby’s cord blood, the newborn stem cells are collected and cryogenically preserved for long-term storage. Studies so far indicate that cord blood stem cells preserved for more than 23 years hold the same capabilities as newborn stem cells that are freshly collected. Extrapolating this data over the long-term suggests that your baby’s stem cells will likely remain viable over their lifetime.

Reason 2: Cord blood banking provides a perfectly matched sample if your baby ever needs stem cell therapy.

When a patient requires a stem cell transplant, finding a matching donor is one of the main obstacles faced by physicians. Matching involves comparing HLA (human leukocyte antigen) markers between the donor and the recipient. A close match reduces the risk of rejection. But when a banked sample is available, your baby will have a perfectly-match sample available and ready to be used.

Reason 3: Preserving stem cells today will provide your baby access to any new future therapies that may become available.

Stem cell therapy is one of the fastest-growing areas of research today. With many research studies and clinical trials underway exploring the use of newborn stem cells to treat diseases, it is likely that many new stem cell treatment options may become available over your baby’s lifetime. By banking newborn stem cells today, you will be ensuring that your baby will have access to these potential new therapies when they are older.

Bonus: High compatibility with other family members. There is a high likelihood that your baby’s newborn stem cells may be a match for a sibling, parent, grandparent, or aunt who may require a stem cell transplant.

Traditionally the umbilical cord and the blood left over were discarded at birth. Today it is well established that both cord blood and cord tissue are valuable sources of stem cells.

Newborn stem cells can only be banked at birth, which makes the choice to preserve your baby’s stem cells a unique opportunity.