Cord blood bank companies are in the business of storing cord blood obtained from the umbilical cord of newborn babies. The trend of extracting and preserving cord blood began in the late 1980s, and with advancements in the medical uses of stem cells, more and more parents are deciding to store the cord blood of their newborns. It can be a way to safeguard the health of your children in the future and it can come at an affordable cord blood bank cost of $19.99/month.

Six top reasons to store cord blood

If you are wondering whether you should get in touch with one of the leading cord blood bank companies to store the cord blood of your newborn, here are six top reasons to help you make up your mind:

1) It is a safe, painless, and ethical practice

After a baby is born, the doctor will clamp and cut the umbilical cord and then use a needle to extract the cord blood from the detached cord. That means, neither you nor your newborn will be subjected to any kind of painful procedure to obtain the cord blood. Since nobody is harmed during the extraction and the storage and the process does not contravene any social, religious, or legal policies, preserving cord blood is an ethical practice. When the stored cord blood is used for treatment, it is inserted into the body via an intravenous line, and that can take only about 15 minutes and is a very safe procedure.

2) It can help with current medical treatments

Currently, it is possible to use the stem cells obtained from cord blood to repair, rebuild, and heal impaired cells and treat over 80 health conditions. Doctors have successfully used stem cells to treat various cancers, blood disorders, immune disorders, metabolic disorders, and genetic diseases. Given the capacity of stem cells to differentiate into other types of cells with different functions, medical researchers are using them to build new body organs to replace damaged or diseased ones.

3) It can serve as insurance for future health issues

Researchers continue to develop different medical treatments using stem cells. They are seeing success in using stem cells to treat cerebral palsy, diabetes, and sickle cell disease. It may be possible in the future to treat immune system-related health issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and Crohn’s disease. They may be able to find cures for HIV, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injuries, strokes, and other conditions.

4) It is possible to store cord blood for a long period

There is available research data about cord blood bank companies storing cord blood for around 25 years. The banks have been successful in freezing and keeping cord blood viable long-term using cryogenic methods. The frozen cord blood can be thawed and used for medical purposes without any decrease in its effectiveness. Parents can choose to store their newborn’s cord blood with a private cord bank for the use of the child or the family later, or, if they expect no future health issues, donate it to a public cord bank.

5) It can help safeguard an entire family’s future

Many parents chose to store the cord blood with cord blood bank companies to safeguard their family’s future health. As long as everyone in the family shares the same human leukocyte antigens (HLA) tissue type, the stored stem cells will be a guaranteed match and they can use them to treat different health conditions. They will not need to wait for a donor, can lower the risk of graft versus host disease (GVHD), and can begin treatment immediately, increasing their chances of recovery. With stored cord blood, it will be possible to treat current health conditions and also those diseases that might develop in the future.

6) It can be an affordable investment

Different cord blood bank companies may charge differently for storing cord blood. The exact prices will depend on the length of storage. It is advisable to look for a cord bank that is in an area safe from natural disasters and not too far away from medical centers. You want to ensure that the stem cells remain safe long-term and are easy to retrieve during emergencies.