Cord blood is just that, the blood from the umbilical cord at birth. While there really may not be all that much, the cord blood has the capability now and in the future to provide healing, and even the undoing of certain conditions. Cord blood is collected in a special way and then frozen at a very low temperature to preserve the integrity of the blood. It’s a relatively new idea, but more and more parents are seeing the value in saving the cord blood for later use.
Cord blood storage is relatively new, and using the stored blood and stem cells is an even newer technology. Over the next ten years we'll probably see the use of cord blood more and more to help repair damage within the body, and perhaps even cure diseases that have long been looking for a cure. Many people now question whether or not they should bother storing cord blood, wondering how long the cord blood will remain effective stored at such temperatures.
Cord blood is something that most people assume that they will never need, though many people find themselves or the people that they love in a position where cord blood is definitely needed. Cord blood can be taken from a private bank or a public storage bank, depending on the arrangements that have been made in the past. The process of getting the blood will differ depending on where you get the blood.
When you are comparing cord blood banks you may have a hard time figuring out which one is the right one for you and your family. Cord blood collection and storage is a fairly new technology and business, so it can be hard to determine who is legit and who is not. You may become so overwhelmed by all the information that you'll give up and either decide not to have cord blood collected, or you'll pick a random blood bank, which may not be the best idea.
The collection of umbilical cord blood is not something that can take place on a whim; it's something that the parents of a child need to think about long before the birth of their baby. Cord blood collection is a process that has to be planned for, and parents can do this by contacting a cord blood bank by the 34th week of pregnancy.
There are so many misconceptions and debates around the collecting of cord blood as well as the use of stem cells. Because of this, many families have a hard time deciding whether or not cord blood donation is for them. Breaking down cord blood collection, donation, and use into pros and cons will likely help your family make the decision that is best for you. These pros and cons are concrete facts; you'll have to apply opinions, moral implications, etc on your own.
Cord blood donation is relatively new, so many people worry that donating blood or having it stored in a family bank will expose their baby to risks not worth the donation. Many people decline cord blood storage because they are afraid of the unknown. If you are working with a well-educated medical staff the risks associated with cord blood donation are virtually none.
There are a lot of misconceptions about cord blood storage and donation because it's still a new technology and many people are apprehensive to take part. Unfortunately, it's these common misconceptions that allow people the pass up the opportunity to preserve this once in a lifetime blood and rich supply of stem cells within. Hopefully, as more and more success is had with using umbilical blood to save lives these misconceptions will be tossed out, but today they still exist.
Choosing a cord blood bank can be difficult because there are a lot of options and it's hard to know by a name or location whether or not you should go with a specific bank. There are some things that you can look at to help make the process a bit easier, so that you can make arrangements before the birth to have the cord blood collected and stored in the facility of your choice.
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