Private Cord Blood Banking – What to Expect
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Hopefully, everything is going smoothly, and you are looking forward to parenthood. Whether you are early on in your journey or just getting the last few bits ready for the big day, if you have thought about cord blood banking, we are here to fill you in on what to expect.
If you are curious, read on to find out more.
WHAT IS CORD BLOOD BANKING?
If you have stumbled upon this article and have no idea what cord blood banking is here is a very quick guide.
Cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing the blood left over in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth. It is a non-invasive procedure that won’t interrupt any other part of your birth plan.
So why would you store the blood? Cord blood is rich in powerful stem cells. These stem cells can be used for over 80 approved therapies and treatments worldwide. By privately storing them you give your child access to their cells. They may also be used to help treat siblings too.
WHY SHOULD YOU STORE?
Your unborn baby is likely to be part of the first generation that routinely lives to over 100 years old, and it is already expected that one in three people alive today will require access to regenerative therapy during their lifetime. Stem cells are currently being investigated in clinical trials for conditions that affect many of us as we age – things like arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and more.
By banking your baby’s stem cells the day they are born, you give them access to their perfect stem cell match, and the youngest and therefore the most potent stem cells they will ever have and the potential to protect their health years into the future.
THE PROCESS ON THE DAY
Once you have contacted your chosen bank you will be provided with a collection kit and, if needed, the number for a primary and secondary phlebotomist. Keep the kit in your hospital bag so when the day arrives it’s ready to go.
When you go into labour or get the time and date for your C Section, you (or your birth partner) need to contact the phlebotomist. They will meet you at the hospital or home if you choose home birth.
Throughout the birth process, the focus will remain on you and your baby. Your phlebotomist will wait in another room. If you have chosen delayed cord clamping, the collection process will not get in the way of this, the two processes are compatible with each other.
After the cord is cut and the placenta has been delivered, these are handed over to the phlebotomist to collect the remaining blood and anything else you have specified using the kit. The kit contains everything they need for the collection.
The box will be packed up and passed back to you. After that, you just call the courier number on the kit, and they will collect it and transport it back to the lab ready for testing.
Assuming there are no issues with the sample, it will be safely stored.
CELL COUNT MATTERS
Your baby’s stem cells are their perfect biological match, so the most important thing for you to consider is how you can make sure they have access to as many as possible.
The reason why the number of cells is so important is that it determines both the weight and height of the patient that a sample can treat (many therapies will have a minimum cell count per kilo of body weight) and the number of therapies a single cord blood unit could be used for. The more the better.
The UK’s largest cord blood bank, Cells4Life, has a unique process called CellPlus powered by TotiCyte. CellsPlus maximises the number of cells at the point of treatment, giving you 2-3x more cells than comparable technologies available in the UK.
HOW TO RELEASE MY SAMPLE?
Should you need to have your sample released, get back in contact with the bank you have chosen. Call or drop them an email to get the release forms. Then, just fill them out to get the process started.
You then need to give your storage bank permission to liaise with your physician/doctor. They will check the requirements and release the correct samples. Finally, they will organise the transportation of the sample so that it can get to you safely as quickly as possible.
Your samples will be well looked after during the transport and are monitored for temperature changes to ensure their viability.
To find out more please visit the Cells4Life website, contact us at [email protected] or phone 01444 873950
My name is Louise and I am the Digital Marketing and Administrative Assistant at MyBump2Baby. I have been writing in the parenting niche for over 2 years specialising in fertility, pregnancy, baby and baby name support articles.