The birth of a child is an amazing and life-changing event. From the moment they enter this world, parents want to do everything they can to protect their baby’s health. Cord blood banking is one way that parents can provide their new baby with lifelong protection from certain diseases and disorders by storing stem cells found in cord blood.
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth. This valuable resource is rich in fresh and young stem cells, which can be used to treat a variety of diseases and disorders. Cord blood banking is the process of extracting the cord blood once the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. This blood is then frozen and stored for potential future use.
One of the best things about cord blood banking is that the stem cells found in cord blood are a perfect match for your baby. This means that if your child ever needs stem cell treatment, their cord blood can be used with little risk of rejection. There is also a 25% chance of being a perfect match for siblings.
Banked cord blood is exclusive to your baby and family’s use – it cannot be donated or shared with anyone else. This means that you have a ready-made source of stem cells available if your child or other family members ever requires treatment.
Cord blood can be stored long-term (Cells4Life offers storage of up to 60 years) making it a valuable medical resource for your child and family members. There have been 40,000 cord blood transplants and cord blood stem cells are currently being used in over 7000 clinical trials worldwide!
If you are interested in banking your baby’s cord blood, here’s how it works:
- Contact a Cells4Life representative to discuss your cord blood banking options and sign the storage agreement to start the process.
- You will receive a cord blood collection kit that you need to bring with you to the hospital on your delivery day. Your midwife or doctor will perform the collection, so it is important to let them know in advance about your decision to save the cord blood.
- When the cord blood sample is collected and the collection kit is sealed, it is now ready for shipping. Call a Cells4Life representative to assist you with courier booking to ship the sample to our UK lab.
- The collected cord blood sample will undergo testing immediately at our UK lab. Within 4-7 days, you will receive initial testing results about the cord blood’s volume and viability. The cord blood sample will be tested further and within 4-6 weeks, a certificate confirming your storage will be printed and delivered to you.
There are many reasons why cord blood banking may be right for you and your family. By preserving your baby’s stem cells, you are providing them with a unique opportunity to potentially treat a variety of diseases and disorders in the future. For more information on cord blood banking, please visit our website or contact us today!
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