Cord Blood Banking Pros And Cons

Cord blood banking is a relatively new practice and therefore has not gained mass acceptance. People may confuse cord blood stem cells with embryonic stem cells and be wary for that reason, but the two are completely different. Cord blood stem cells are extracted from the umbilical cord after birth, so they do not come from the embryo. This article will discuss cord blood banking pros and cons that you should be aware of.

Cord Blood Banking Pros and Cons: The Pros

One of the pros of saving and storing cord blood stem cells privately is that if any family member ever needs a transplant, you will have access to it immediately. You will not have to wait on a list and will have access to treatment more quickly.

Another advantage is that if your baby ever needs a transplant, the stem cells will be a match. One of the main reasons that a transplant fails is due rejection of donor cells. If other members of the family need a transplant, the stem cells will also likely be a close match thus reducing the risk of rejection.

There have already been tens of thousands of successful cord blood stem cell transplants throughout the world for a variety of diseases in adults and children. Every day brings the possibility of new medical discoveries, and with cord blood banking, you may be able to take advantage of new treatments as they are developed. There is only once chance to save and store cord blood and that is immediately after the birth of a child. If you do not take advantage of the a opportunity then, the chance is gone forever.

Cord Blood Banking Pros and Cons: The Cons

As stated above, there are cord blood banking pros and cons, so now I will discuss the potential cons involved with cord blood banking. There is some question as to the safety and effectiveness of using a baby’s own cord blood stem cells for transplantation. This is especially true in cases of where a child develops cancers and leukemia.

When children develop immunological disorders, the cord blood may contain the same genetic defect that caused the disorder, making it unsuitable for transplantation. That does not mean that private cord blood banking does not serve a legitimate purpose. Most transplants that have used privately banked cord blood have gone to relatives with pre-existing conditions rather than the actual donor child.

Another issue that can arise is that cord blood samples may not be large enough. The samples collected may not have enough stem cells for a successful transplantation. Cord blood is used in the birth process, and if the cord is clamped too soon in order for more cord blood to be collected, this could be detrimental to the future development of the baby.

The umbilical cord pulsates to push blood into the child during birth, and it is recommended that the cord cease pulsation before it is clamped. If cord blood is being collected for private storage, there is a possibility that the cord may be clamped too early in order to collect more cord blood. This can deprive the infant of placental blood and increase the risk of anemia.

The final con that may be associated with private cord blood banking is a legal ownership issue. You should read the contract you sign carefully and understand it fully before you proceed. Some contracts may be written ambiguously so that the ownership of the cord blood may not include all the rights and privileges one would reasonably expect. This may leave future uses of the cord blood open without approval of the donor. These possible uses may include cloning, partial sales, or medical research. Another potential problem to look for is contracts that do not clearly lay out the rights of donors requesting termination of storage and destruction of the cord blood sample.

It is important to weigh the cord blood banking pros and cons before you decide to bank cord blood. There are a lot of issues to consider, and it is an expensive service, so you should think about these issues carefully. It is an important decision that can only be made once in a lifetime, so it should be given the weight it deserves.