Learning about the self-repairing power of cord blood stem cells, there are many expecting parents who decide upon umbilical cord blood banking and bear the cost for it.  After all, thinking about the health and safety of the baby, before his or her arrival is the responsibility of an expecting parent.

And undoubtedly, they choose the best cord blood banking company.

In fact, while choosing the best, the parents-to-be would have to consider the reasons for making it the best. Out of many things like being accredited, and using the most innovative technology for processing the cord blood stem cells, the best cord blood banks choose biologically safe methods from collection to transportation, processing and retrieval.

Read this engaging article to know how:

Safe Collection Process

The baby may be born vaginally or via an emergency C – section, once the baby and the placenta is delivered, the cord is disinfected and the vein is punctured to clamp and cut it a few inches apart. Then the caregiver inserts a sterile needle and collects the blood left behind in the umbilical cord and the placenta in a sterile collection bag. This bag, in fact, is kept is safe condition inside an x-ray free certified collection kit box, which again filled with anti-coagulant, thus preventing the blood from clotting, before it reaches the laboratory. 

Safely Designed Transportation Container

Basically, the collection kit box is coated with hard plastic, and has vacuum insulation in it. It is designed in this way, so that temperature is properly maintained and that the temperature is absolutely under control, when the sample cord blood unit is getting transported to the lab or the transplant center, even during harsh weather conditions. 

Biologically Safe Processing Labs

The baby’s cord blood and tissue are processed in a biologically safe, clean environment and well-equipped labs. 

Safe Transportation Facility

The best cord blood banking company takes the complete responsibility to deliver the sample in time and in good condition at the transplant centre for final usage. In fact, the logistic partners with its best-controlled measures ensure absolutely safe and timely delivery of the sample unit. In case the stem cells are found to have been damaged during transportation from storage facility to the transplant centre, we either offer an alternate matching sample or a compensation. 

Safe and Advanced Storage Methods

For future testing, the cord blood is stored in a 25ml multi compartment cryobag with integral segments. In fact, some private cord blood banks keep the baby’s stem cells in frozen state (-190 Degrees), so that, the stem cells can be preserved anywhere between 21 to 75 years of a baby’s life.  

To Conclude

As compared to the other cord blood banks, who give no assurance on the maintenance or who give no surety of safety or timely transportation of the sample unit to the transplantation center, Cordlife India, the largest network of private cord blood bank in Asia, is safe.

All that the clients need to do is pay a nominal price to keep their baby’s cord unit safe with Cordlife for 21yrs or more and enjoy exclusive ownership and accessibility throughout the tenure¬ and retrieve it when there is need for transplantation. 

The post How Do You Know That A Cord Blood Bank Is Safe? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

You may have noticed that there is a lot of marketing and promotions done by cord blood banks nowadays. But what is a cord blood bank exactly? Well, it is a medical bank where doctors extract the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from the newborn umbilical cord and can be preserved indefinitely. You can bank the cord blood in a private or a public blood bank and can be used later on to treat diseases and illnesses. This may sound like a wonderful medical breakthrough, but there are many myths about private cord blood banking making the rounds. Let us have a look at these myths and break the misconceptions clouding the minds of parents-to-be.

Can It Harm My Baby Be Harmed?

Collection of cord blood is in no way harmful to the baby or the mother. The blood that is discarded after birth normally is collected and stored at the cord blood bank.

Private Cord Blood Banks May Send Our Baby’s Cord Blood for Research

This is a complete myth as private cord blood banks give exclusive accessibility and control to the cord blood you store. They charge you annually for storing the cord blood and will give you access as and when you require it in the future. Unlink public banks wherein the blood may be sent further for research purposes.

Choose Any Cord Blood Bank, They Are All the Same

Wrong. Private blood banks have to follow stringent norms in terms of quality, cost, location, and need to be FDA-approved and AABB-accredited. However, not all private blood banks have DA approval and AABB-accreditation. Those who have both, have high annual storage fees and better facilities to store your baby’s cord blood for a longer duration.

It is Always Better to Store Cord Blood in Private Banks

Many to-be parents often think storing their baby’s cord blood in private banks is better than donating it to a public bank. If your family has a history of certain diseases and disorders, then choosing a private blood bank may sound logical. However, there is no such history and you don’t even know if you will ever need to access the stored cord blood, then donating the cord blood to a public bank is a wise decision.

You Can’t Treat Your Child With His/ Her Own Blood as it May Be Diseased Itself

This statement does not hold much ground as autologous transplants have been in use for more than a decade. Use of one’s own stem cells has helped in the treatment of many diseases ranging from neuroblastoma, lymphoblastic leukemia, etc.

Cord Blood can Remain Viable Only for 10 Years

Current studies have shown, stem cells stored for about 24 years remained viable without any decrease in viability or proliferation. It is even claimed by cryopreservationists these cells can be stored indefinitely in a controlled environment.

Cord Blood Banking And Ethical Issues

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there are certain issues related to the self-use of cord blood as promoted by cord blood banks. The ICMR guidelines for stem cell research (2013) states there is no scientific basis for preservation of cord blood for future self-use. Thus, this practice is not officially recommended and any use other than bone marrow transplantation apart from clinical trials is termed as a medical malpractice.

You Can Decide About Cord Blood Banking Just Before You Deliver

It is not a good idea to make a last-minute decision in most of the cases. Your hospital may not have a cord blood collection kit ready during the child’s birth. There are many logistics that need to be figured out before you can store the cord blood. Thus, make sure you enroll early to a cord blood bank of your choice for smooth and hassle free collection during the birthing process.

These are few of the common cord blood myths that are busted above. Cord blood does have many benefits in cases where there is a family history of leukemia or thalassemia. However, it will remain as a personal choice whether or not one should store the cord blood.

The post Common Private Cord Blood Banking Myths Debunked appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.