is anyone storing cord blood

[momtobeof3]

Hi, have been reading up on this topic and was wondering if anyone was investing in this practice...

[beanbean30]

I just decided to do this. The kit should arrive on Tuesday so I need to hold off until then. The reason I went for it was my DH's family have a lot of genetic issues with muscular atrophy and MS.

[happyfrog]

I would rather my newborn get the blood that's in the placenta and cord - it is his/hers anyway! instead of 'saving it' for an unknown someday that may or may not even help. .. 'sides, there's no guarantee your placenta blood will be stored well anyway. . ..

just something to think about. .

bettyann
planning on lotus birth actually this time around. . .

[AmyLaz]

Here is some good info on the topic:

• Cord blood research is showing promising results.
Although cord blood is not yet widely used to treat patients, cord blood researchers believe that it in the future it has the potential to treat some cancers, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, heart failure, stroke, and neurological diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

• It's expensive.
Private cord blood banks usually charge an enrollment and collection fee of approximately $600 to $1,900, plus annual storage fees ranging from around $80 to $100.

• Chances are your baby cannot be treated with his own cord blood.
If your baby develops an illness with a genetic basis — and most childhood diseases are genetic — his cord blood contains the genetic instructions for that disease, so it's not a suitable treatment. Most banked cord blood is currently used to treat siblings.

• You probably have a better chance of finding a stem cell match in the public cord blood system than in your own family.
The chance of an exact tissue match between two siblings is only about 25 percent, according to Dennis Confer, chief medical officer for the National Marrow Donor Program, a nonprofit organization that maintains the largest public listing of umbilical cord blood units available for transplantation in the United States. In contrast, the chance of finding a cord blood match in the nation's public banks is 75 percent, he says.

• Doctors aren't ready to universally recommend banking your baby's cord blood.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have both expressed reservations about private cord blood banking for the general public because they believe the chances a family will ever need the blood are slim and because they support a public cord blood donation system (similar to blood banks). Many doctors, however, say that families with a history of diseases such as leukemia, lymphomas, and immune deficiency, among others, should consider private cord banking because their odds of needing a stem cell transplant are higher than those of the general population.

• If your child belongs to a minority group, private storage may be of more value to you.
According to July 2003 figures, a Caucasian patient has an 88 percent chance of finding a matching donor through the National Marrow Donor Program registry, while an African American's chances were significantly lower at 58 percent.

[alegna]

Absolutely not. Great way for a few companies to make money off worried parents.

The blood in the cord and placenta belong to my baby. In MOST cases, there is not enough left to save if baby gets all that will flow to them (delayed cutting of cord)

IF I were concerned I would donate the cord blood (if there were any left)

-Angela

[cj'smommy]

This is the only pregnancy we've considered it and only because someone suggested it might be good for the baby to have it during surgery. So our situation is a bit different but I thought I'd throw this out there anyway.

When we talked to our Neuro about it regarding surgery he said for 1) there wouldn't be enough blood and that we'd have to use donor blood anyway and 2) we had a very good chance of fnding a matching donor if we did need it in case of cancer. In his opinion it wasn't worth the money it cost.

We did dontate H's cord blood (I had a c-section) and wanted to do the same this time but we can't because of the possibility of cancer.

[majormajor]

we donated DD's to public bank, and we'll do the same with this baby. our hosptial makes it really easy to do that, so it wasn't any trouble.

[smeisnotapirate]

We're not doing it. We'll delay cutting the cord until it stops pulsing. IMO, it's better for baby to get it at that point.

Shameless plug:
That being said, I'm a marrow donor. I think this is much more worthwhile and doesn't deprive my baby of something they should be getting immediately at birth. I hope, especially if you're not Caucasian, that you and your DP will consider doing the swab and entering yourself into the database.