Cord Blood Banking

What is cord blood banking?

Cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing the blood from the umbilical cord when your baby is born. The process is quick and safe for both you and your baby and provides a store of stem cells that anyone in your family may benefit from in the future.

The blood and fluids that travel through the umbilical cord to your baby are rich in stem cells, which are the primary cellular building blocks of your body. Stem cells are unique in that they can turn into whatever type of cell your body needs. In addition to helping repair damaged tissue, stem cells can also boost your immune system and may be used to combat leukemia and other inherited health problems.

Why would I save cord blood?

Medical researchers and physicians are making advances in regenerative medicine practices every day. Stem cells are often a critical part of regenerative medicine treatments because of their unique ability to adapt to your body’s needs. Stem cells collected from umbilical cord blood aren’t quite as plentiful as those found in bone marrow, but they offer a variety of other benefits:

• Stem cells can be given to more people than bone marrow stem cells
• Cord blood stem cells are unlikely to be rejected
• Cord blood banking is less invasive and safer than harvesting stem cells from bone marrow
• Cord blood can be safely frozen for several years, while bone marrow stem cells need to be used right away
• Stem cells from umbilical cord blood can be used to boost your immune system, while bone marrow stem cells don’t have this function

Ultimately, the decision to collect and store cord blood and stem cells is personal. Your obstetrician can talk to you about the process and the benefits of cord blood banking. Even if you don’t want to store your cord blood for your family’s use, you could donate the blood to help other people and families in need.

What happens during cord blood collection and banking?

Dr. Neal or Dr. Quinata can collect your cord blood soon after your baby is born. After the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, your doctor can use a syringe to extract the cord blood.

The collection doesn’t interfere with your delivery and poses no health risk to you or your baby. The collection must take place within 15 minutes of your baby’s birth, and the blood must be cryogenically frozen and stored in an accredited blood or stem cell bank.

If you want to learn more about umbilical cord blood banking and if it’s right for your family, call Platinum Women’s Health or schedule a consultation online today.