“What will happen to my baby’s cord blood sample after 25 years or when the storage term is finished?”
The above is one of the most frequently asked questions by many parents about storing cord blood. We usually offer three options for this:
A. Continue storing the cord blood sample for your family
It is widely believed in the medical community that cord blood stem cells may be cryopreserved for an unlimited or unspecified period of time. Cells4Life’s storage term will be extended as required scientific evidence becomes available for the safety of long-term storage.
Also, according to Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation:
“Cord blood can be stored indefinitely… The science of cryobiology tells us that cells which are cryogenically preserved remain viable for decades. It has been confirmed that cord blood stem cells were still viable after being frozen 23+ years.”
B. Donate the cord blood to a public bank or a research facility
If you do not wish to continue storing cord blood for your family, donating your baby’s cord blood to a public bank can potentially save a person’s life in the future. On the other hand, donating it to a research facility helps medical people to test and use it for trials with the aim of improving cord blood treatments for future patients.
C. Discard the cord blood sample
Although some parents might have their personal reasons, we still encourage them not to destroy their baby’s cord blood sample after 25 years of storage unless it is not possible to donate it to a public bank or a research centre. Cord blood is just too precious to be thrown away.
Do you have any questions about cord blood banking? Our representatives are always happy to answer your inquiries so please don’t hesitate to give us a call on +971 4 3116613.