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Delayed Cord clamping vs. cord banking requirements

1K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  basmom 
#1 ·
Greetings,

I hope someone here can help give me some direction. My due date is soon (I can't believe how fast this is going!) and I have some hard decisions to make. On my birth wish list, I would like to have delayed cord clamping - BUT I am also planning on banking the baby's cord blood. I have been told by the cord blood people that it's important to clamp the cord as soon as possible to obtain as much cord blood as possible. I've talked to my pediatrician (who is a very progressive doctor - very pro-breastfeeding, very cautious about vaccines, etc) and he said it's a hard call. He said I have to decide which way I want to go. What do you gals think of this?

I appreciate your input!!!!
 
#2 ·
Personally, I'd rather do what is going to be more immediately healthy for the baby.

Immediate cord clamping can reduce the baby's blood volume by nearly 50%. Equivalent to a major hemorrhage, it's a major cause for issues in the neonatal phase.

Read here about the dangers of immediate cord clamping:

http://www.obgyn.net/pregnancy-birth...-resuscitation

I hope this helps you in making your decision either way.
 
#5 ·
Yep, I'd pick the baby's health right now over the cord blood maybe helping some time in the future. And they can still get enough even if they wait, sometimes. I donated my baby's cord blood, we waited until it stopped pulsing to cut it, and they still got enough. They had to work at it a bit (though maybe that was just because of all the confusing tubes and such, and this was at the Farm where they haven't done it often), but they managed it. Besides, even if you don't get a lot, who's to say that it won't be enough in the future when you'd need it? Maybe by that time science will have advanced and they'll be able to do more with less.


hapersmion
 
#6 ·
Not knowing why you are choosing this, I'll just provide some info and say that I'm also considering blood banking but only if it can be done delayed.

Different cord blood companies have different policies and there is some proof that samples even with delay can be successful.

If you are banking for known medical reasons/concerns you would have to weigh the additional risk of delaying and possibly not being able to get a full quantity of sample.

Here's one company that I have found that does both public banking (for free) and does not seem to have a policy on when the cord is cut. I have not seen the kit yet, only what is on the website contracts for the parent. http://www.cryo-intl.com/index.html The also do private/for fee storage.

And I had found this site before too: The website: http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/cordIssues.html has info (much at the end) on collecting cord blood that implies that often there IS enough blood (but not always).

There were a few other posts I noticed recently:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=632513

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=628803

Jessica
 
#7 ·
If it's a choice between giving baby blood and storing it away for *possible* use in the future, give the blood to baby at birth. They deserve it.

Unless you are planning on storing it for a family member, the chances of your baby using those cord blood cells later in life are very slim. And if something were to happen to your baby that necessitated the use of cord blood, they would probably not be able to use their own, since it would have the same issue as the blood coursing through their veins.
 
#10 ·
Utopia and Stacey,

Just as an FYI, there are a few companies that offer free public banking (similar idea of red cross blood banks). Even some of these companies will set aside a families cord blood if there are medical reasons to do so for known genetic problems, for example. And this is for free.

I don't really understand how these private for fee storage companies are ethical at all... and I know there was some posting on Mothering about how public banks should be the only option.

Currently there are so few hospitals that public bank, so most people are sorry, out of luck, but there are some companies that will send kits to your home and your doctor or midwife (so theoretically even a homebiirth attended by midwife) collects the cord blood and it is picked up and delivered to the company.

So now that these kits can be used it would make sense for more PUBLIC cord banks to start doing this... and as I mentioend in my previous post, I am aware of just 1 company that does this (but there may be others that I am unaware of).

I know that most cases preclude cord blood donation for the individual it was collected from. Sadly, I think that most cord companies market this product (fee for storage) using guilt, hype and don't truly educate families at how unlikely it is that they will be able to use the samples. That's why I think public banking is something that is worthwhile to look into.

Again, as I mentioned, I would weigh this personally based on how long the draw can be delayed before it was done, but from I've read some people have donated after the cord had stopped pulsating or even after the placenta was delivered and still gotten enough blood to donate.

I'm looking into it and will ask my midwife if she is willing to do this at next weeks appointment. If she is then I think I am finally along far enough that the company will let me order the kit so I can see what else it says about collection procedures.

I've posted this several times lately (just when I catch a threaad on cord blood donation) NOT meaning to be arguementative but becuase it truly sounds like 'why not'. I'm trying to look for information and see what others know. The only counter-arguement, besides concern about sampling early (which I fully support) that has come up is that yes, you might not get a valid sample. So for those that are okay with that risk (family has a low risk for needing cord blood) it seems like a valid option. If not, I'd love to hear what I'm missing.

Jessica
 
#11 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by hapersmion View Post
I donated my baby's cord blood, we waited until it stopped pulsing to cut it, and they still got enough. They had to work at it a bit (though maybe that was just because of all the confusing tubes and such, and this was at the Farm where they haven't done it often), but they managed it. Besides, even if you don't get a lot, who's to say that it won't be enough in the future when you'd need it? Maybe by that time science will have advanced and they'll be able to do more with less.


hapersmion
Glad to see that what I've read about has happened to someone on this board.
Do you remember which company you used (feel free to pm if youd rather). I'm assuming since you said donated, that you meant to a public bank.

I'm glad it worked out because that's what I'm thinking about doing too.

Jessica
 
#12 ·
Not sure what bank you've talked to but I've used CBR twice & according to them delayed cord clamping is just fine. IF you don't get enough (and really, the amount *typically* needed to get the min. number of stem cells is *very* little) then you can get out of banking (I think you loose a small part of the fee - like for the kit itself or something). You can also have the practicioner try the placenta for blood as well as the cord itself. Anyway, IMO, it's worth a shot if you can afford it.
 
#13 ·
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against private cord blood banking unless there is an older sibling who has a definite need for the cord blood. As was said before, the likelihood of the baby needing the cord blood in the future is highly unlikely. Companies who market this are fearmongering. The AAP does recommend cord blood donation (public banking). Here is a link to the AAP press release. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jan07cordblood.htm

While there may be a small chance of a future need for the stem cells in the cord blood, it doesn't seem right to deny it to him at birth.

Ellen
Wife to G, homeschooling mom to ds13, ds10, dd6
Bradley certified childbirth educator
 
#15 ·
HI there,
Thanks so much everyone for your replies. I originally decided to do the private cord blood banking because my OB told me it might be worth it if I could afford it (I really can't "afford" it but thought that if it could be of help to some family member or the baby then it's worth it). But I know I want to do what is best for the baby.

I am using Cord Blood Registry (CBR) and my rep. told me that the cord needs to be clamped as soon as possible (I think within a few minutes) and that there's been no evidence that letting the blood pulsate back into the baby is truly beneficial (I was very surprised to hear that from CBR!).

I am thinking that I want to have the cord cut as late as possible, and if they can collect the cord blood, great - if not maybe forget it!
 
#17 ·
From the "Wired" article link:

".... but those parents who choose not store their children's cord blood in a private bank need not worry. Scientists will be able to get all the cord-blood stem cells they need from the new public cord-blood network. And scientists are also identifying stem cells in a variety of new sources -- hair follicles, fat and, remarkably, even in children's baby teeth."

I guess I am just wondering why you would want to blow nearly $2000 on something that can be obtained for free, IF it is even needed. If you feel compelled to harvest the blood, then please donate it. That way, if no one in your family needs it, then some other person will have access to it.

 
#18 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by SublimeBirthGirl View Post
http://www.wired.com/news/technology...?tw=wn_index_1
Interesting read, something to thank President Bush for (he signed a law to establish a national donor bank of umbilical-cord blood).
:

Quote:
Worldwide, the public system has provided stem cells for about 6,000 cord-blood transplants. This dwarfs the 55 transplants that have resulted from three private U.S. banks, which cover the majority of the worldwide market. And even that number isn't an accurate representation of the number of people who eventually need private banking -- many companies offer free service to pregnant women with an older child suffering from a disease that might benefit from a new sibling's cord blood.
Jessica
 
#19 ·
Unfortunately, jessjhg1, I can't for the life of me remember what company we donated to. There were no public banks in my area (especially with all the craziness of going to the Farm at the last minute for breech), but after a whole lot of searching I found three different companies who were accepting donations for their own "public" transplant banks, and also for stem cell research. (I figure there wouldn't be such a debate about fetal stem cells if more people knew about donating stem cells from cord blood - a much better source IMO!) And if for some reason the baby ended up needing his blood later on, there's always the chance that it would still be in the bank (they give it back to you if it is) *shrug*.

One of the ones I looked at was www.cryo-intl.com, one was the Cord Blood Donor Foundation (http://www.cordblooddonor.org/)... but I think I picked a third one that I can't remember. Lifeblood or something? Anyway, it was the only one that took the entire placenta as well as the cord blood. I thought that was better than just throwing it away (I hadn't heard of eating or planting the placenta at that point). They sent a courier out to us at the Farm (once he managed to find his way!), even though that wasn't where we had been planning to go, and didn't seem to have a problem with the collection being done by midwives instead of at a hospital. I'd do it again.

I never saw much point to commercial cord blood banking, unless there's a condition in the family that makes it likely that someone would actually need it, but I think donating is great! It's like giving blood, it made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile.

hapersmion
 
#20 ·
Hapersmion- Thanks for trying to remember. Interesting about the placenta (and amusing about the Farm and courier getting lost, etc).

Hey, just noticing all the google ads on the screen for cord blood donation-- usually I just tune those annoying ads out.

Jessica
 
#21 ·
so some midwives have said that they have been able to drain the placenta by placing it up above where the collection bags are-- even after waiting for the cord to stop pulsing--
the things I think about have already been discussed- you are trading off health now for potential problem protection later-- also we don't know what allowing a child to have the stem cells he/she would take in from the placenta -- just this last year there was a study that found stem cells in old women from pregnancies they had and they know this because of y chromosomes -- so if as mothers we may benefit or be affected by stem cells for that long-40/60 years or more - how does an individual benefit from exposure to a larger pool of their own stem cells? I would probably let the the cord pulse till it was done then - try to harvest the remainder of the cord blood if there is enough to bank fine , if not then that is how it goes.
 
#23 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarabelle View Post
I am using Cord Blood Registry (CBR) and my rep. told me that the cord needs to be clamped as soon as possible (I think within a few minutes) and that there's been no evidence that letting the blood pulsate back into the baby is truly beneficial (I was very surprised to hear that from CBR!).

I am thinking that I want to have the cord cut as late as possible, and if they can collect the cord blood, great - if not maybe forget it!
I'm not surprised at all. They don't get paid if the baby gets all the blood. I think these companies are so incredibly unethical. If you read the article I posted (I hope it comes up - there were problems earlier) it also talks about donation and why it may be preferable.
 
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