Tips and Advice on Cord Blood Storage

Developments in science and medicine continue to increase the number and quality of biological tools parents can now use to better prepare for their families’ future health needs. Storing human eggs, for example, provides hope to women who would have otherwise not been able to give life to their future children had it not been for the storage of such a precious biological tool.

Cord Blood Registry is often stated as an excellent course of action for those families who have a child that is suffering from a transplant treatable disease such as leukemia, sickle cell, lymphoma and others. It is also considered a good practice if you have a sibling with a condition that a bone marrow transplant can help to treat or cure.

Stem cells are unique in that they can also turn into other cell types including bone, heart, muscle, nerve, and liver cells. Cord blood stem cells have successfully been used to treat more than 8,000 patients with some 80 known diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers.

There are some free Cord Blood Storage resources available, such as the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute which offers a Sibling Donor Cord Blood Program that allow families to store their infant’s cord blood in the event of a transplant-treatable disease. If your child is able to pass the pre-screening process, the program has been highly regarded and is an excellent, free alternative to private a Cord Blood Registry.

Cord blood storage, whether done through a private or commercial bank, may give your family a sense of security and/or satisfaction in giving to another through donation.