What stroller should I register for? How will I find a good pediatrician? And will I ever settle on color for the nursery? There are so many things to think about before your baby is born. But here’s one more decision you may consider: whether to bank your baby’s cord blood.
Cord blood banking has become more popular over the last few years. And at some point or another, you may have noticed information about it at your doctor’s office. But what is it, exactly — and is it something you should do?
Here’s a basic overview of cord blood banking, who it helps, how it works and how you can learn more if you think it might be right for your family.
What is cord blood?
Cord blood is extra blood that’s left in a baby’s umbilical cord and placenta after the cord is cut. Babies don’t need this leftover blood after they’re born, but it contains cells that could help those who are sick, now or in the future.
Cord blood contains all the same components as normal blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. What makes it special is that it’s also rich in hematopoietic stem cells — special blood-forming stem cells that are similar to those found in bone marrow. These cells can help treat many types of diseases.
What is cord blood banking?
Cord blood banking is a simple and painless procedure that could save lives. Immediately after birth, cord blood is removed from the clamped-off umbilical cord.
After that, the blood is frozen and stored (or "banked") for future use. When stored properly, cord blood can remain viable for more than 20 years.
Though cord blood banking has gotten more attention in recent years, it isn’t new. Cord blood has been used to treat serious illnesses since the 1980s. And experts are continuing to learn how it might help with a growing number of diseases and disorders.
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There are two ways to store cord blood: You can donate it to a public storage bank, or you can pay for private storage. Both types have pros and cons, and the best option for your family depends on different factors.
How much does cord blood banking cost?
It varies. Cord blood banking can cost nothing if you donate to a public storage bank. Private storage banks can charge $1,350 to $2,300 for the initial collection, followed by storage fees of $100 to $175 per year.
A few other factors can also influence the total cost of cord blood banking, like:
- Whether your insurance covers the collection process
- Whether your doctor or midwife charges a collection fee
- Whether there is an existing family medical need, in which case some private banks offer free or discounted storage
What are the benefits of cord blood banking?
The hematopoietic stem cells found in cord blood differ from other cells in the body, which mostly can only make copies of themselves. These powerful stem cells, also found in bone marrow, can develop into different types of blood and immune-system cells.
Hematopoietic stem cells can help someone who is sick and in need of a stem transplant. How the cells are used depends on the cord blood banking method you choose.
What is cord blood banking used for?
Cord blood stem cells are involved in treating more than 80 different diseases. Most often, they’re used for:
- Cancers like leukemia and lymphoma
- Immune deficiencies, including, in rare cases, HIV
- Sickle cell disease and anemia
- Metabolic disorders like Gaucher disease
- Other immune, blood and neurological disorders
Many of these conditions require radiation or chemotherapy, which kill harmful cells but also kill healthy cells at the same time. Transplanting cord blood stem cells into patients undergoing those treatments can help produce new blood cells that can in turn improve their health.
Cord blood stem cells are easier to collect, can be stored for longer and can be given to more people than stem cells from bone marrow. They also do a better job boosting a transplant recipient’s immune system than bone marrow stem cells.
Keep in mind that it's still very unlikely your child will ever tap into her own saved cord blood later in life. (The odds are 1 in 2,700 by some estimates.) In fact, a baby's own cord blood cells may be unsuitable to treat any condition that appears down the road because the mutations responsible for that disorder are typically present at birth.
What's more, the chances that you'll be able to use your baby's cord blood to treat an adult family member are also low. That's because most stored units of cord blood don't contain enough stem cells to treat anyone weighing more than 90 pounds. Donating your baby's cord blood to a public bank does widen the scope of those in need who could benefit.
What is private cord blood banking?
In private cord blood banking, parents pay to have their baby's cord blood banked for her own use or for use by a family member (like a sibling) in the future. The family "owns" the cord blood and can make most key decisions about how it's used.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that you only consider private cord banking if you have a family member with a genetic disease that may benefit from stem cell treatments. That’s because your baby’s cord blood may be a better match for that sick family member than a non-family donation.
Families also choose to save their baby’s cord blood as a kind of health insurance. In the event that, down the line, stem cells can treat more diseases, you’ll have those genetically unique cells available to your family.
For now though, the chances of your child using her own cord blood are remote, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). There's also no guarantee that the cord blood saved today will still be viable — that is, in the same condition as when they were frozen — in the distant future.
Going the private route also means you’ll have to do some thorough research to find a bank that’s right for you. If you opt to bank your baby’s cord blood, you’ll need to obtain a collection kit, which can take several weeks. You’ll also need to have a blood test, confirm your hospital can collect cord blood and sign a consent form before labor begins.
Keep in mind that because of the costs and other factors, private banking may not be right for everyone. Your practitioner can help you weigh your options and figure out if private banking is the right choice.
What is public cord blood banking?
In public cord blood banking, the baby's cord blood is donated to a cord blood bank where it's stored for use by anyone who may need a transplant. It may also be used for medical research.
Remember, cord blood contains stem cells that can treat a host of diseases — and the stem cells from your baby’s cord blood could help save someone else’s life. That’s why most major medical organizations (including the AAP and ACOG) encourage public donation.
Donating cord blood is free, and public cord blood banks pay for collection and storage. When parents donate their baby's cord blood, they sign away all rights to it, and the bank owns the blood — meaning there's no guarantee that it will be available to the family if they need it down the line.
There may be less legwork involved in finding a public bank compared to finding a private one. The easiest way to donate publicly is to deliver in a hospital that works directly with the National Marrow Donor Program. (Be The Match maintains a database that you can check. If your hospital doesn’t participate, take a look at the Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation’s list.)
Public donors have to meet certain eligibility requirements. If you’re healthy and are having just one baby (not twins or multiples), you can probably donate. To find out, check out this list of donor guidelines.
Public vs. private cord blood banking: What's the difference?
Private and public banking each have their pros and cons, and it’s a good idea to get a handle on both before making your decision. Here are some factors worth taking into account:
Private cord blood banking pros
- Cord blood is stored just for your family.
- Cord blood may help treat a family member who is sick and needs a stem cell transplant.
- In the future, your baby may also be able to use her own cord blood to treat diseases.
- Properly frozen and stored cord blood may remain useful for a lifetime, but experts aren’t sure.
Private cord blood banking cons
- Collection fees cost around $1,350 to $2,300.
- Annual storage fees cost around $100 to $175.
- Unless you have a family member who currently needs a stem cell transplant, the chances of using the cord blood are extremely remote.
- If your cord blood bank closes, you may have to find another storage facility.
Public cord blood banking pros
- Donated stem cells could help save the life of someone in need or benefit valuable medical research.
- Donating is free.
- You may be able to donate to a public bank that works with the hospital where you plan to deliver.
Public cord blood banking cons
- You don’t own donated cord blood, so it won’t be available for your family in the rare event it’s needed in the future.
- Donors need to meet certain eligibility requirements.
- It may be harder to donate if your hospital doesn’t work with a public bank, or if there’s no public bank in your area.
How is cord blood collected?
The decision to collect your baby’s cord blood is one to discuss with your doctor well before giving birth, but cord blood collection happens immediately after delivery. It’s a quick, simple procedure that takes between five and 10 minutes.
After cutting and clamping the umbilical cord, a hospital staff member will use a needle to draw blood from the umbilical cord vein. The blood is collected in a bag and sent off for processing, freezing and storage.
How can I donate cord blood and what happens to it once I do?
Many hospitals and major medical centers accept cord blood donations, but there are a limited number of public banks because of the high costs involved in storing the blood. The high price tag also means that public banks may limit the number of donations they accept.
Between weeks 28 and 34 is a good time to contact your doctor or the hospital about donating your baby's cord blood.
Once the blood is collected, it is typed. The mother's blood is tested for infectious diseases, and the cord blood is screened for hereditary blood disorders. Then, if the collection is large enough and deemed suitable for banking, it will be slowly frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen.
What are the top cord blood banks?
Any cord blood bank you’re considering should have AABB accreditation. AABB accreditation is the gold standard in cord blood banking, ensuring that your baby’s cord blood is collected, stored, processed and distributed safely and effectively. The bank should be registered with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) too.
If you’re considering a private cord blood bank, you’ll also want to know:
- How the bank collects and stores the blood. There are different methods, and you’ll want to make sure that the bank complies with federal standards.
- How viable the bank’s cord-blood samples are compared with other banks. You’ll want to choose a bank that has demonstrated good odds of getting a usable blood sample.
- How stable the company is. You don’t want the bank to go out of business, so explore the pros and cons of choosing a lesser-known, smaller bank versus a larger, well-known bank that has been operating for longer.
Questions to ask your doctor about cord blood banking
The best time to bring up cord blood banking with your practitioner is during your second trimester. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to make your decision and learn what you need to do in advance.
You might start the conversation by saying, “We’re thinking about banking our baby’s cord blood. Can we discuss that so we know what's involved?” Also ask:
- Are we eligible for public cord blood banking? Not every family is. Your doctor can help you figure out if restrictions apply to you. If they do, you may still use a private bank to store your baby’s cord blood.
- Are you willing to collect our baby’s cord blood? It’s very rare, but you may encounter a doctor or midwife who’s unwilling to perform this procedure. (And be aware that some hospitals handle the collection instead.)
- Does the hospital where I’ll be delivering collect cord blood? Many hospitals have agreements with public cord blood banks to help collect and deliver it. If not, you can probably still donate your baby’s cord blood via a mail-in collection kit, which is also what you’d do for private storage.
- Is there a fee for cord blood collection? This applies to both public donation and private storage.
Yes 
No 
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