Private cord blood banking allows parents to store blood from a baby's umbilical cord and placenta for future use. Cord blood contains primitive stem cells that are capable of developing into several types of mature cells, according to the Kids Health website. Parents pay to store the frozen cord blood and can request release of the blood should the child or a family member develop a serious disease that damages the bone marrow.
Identification
The marrow found at the center of your bones produces the platelets, and red and white blood cells that your body needs to stay healthy. Blood in the placenta and umbilical cord of babies also contains stem cells capable of forming these blood cells, immune cells and other types of body cells, according to the Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation. Doctors use stem cell transplants to trigger growth of new blood cells when the bone marrow is not functioning properly.
Obtaining Cord Blood
Medical professionals collect cord blood after your baby is born and do not draw blood directly from the baby. After a vaginal delivery, one side of the umbilical cord is unclamped, allowing insertion of a small tube into the umbilical vein to collect the blood, according to the Kids Health website. Blood is also collected by elevating the umbilical cord, allowing the blood to drain into a collection bag. Doctors and nurses collect blood from the placenta by inserting a syringe into the part of the placenta that nourishes the fetus in the womb. After medical professionals label the syringe or bag with your child's information, a courier delivers the blood to the cord blood bank. At the bank, laboratory workers separate stem cells from other parts of the blood and freeze the cord blood using a liquid nitrogen solution.
Cord Blood Bank Types
Two types of cord blood banks store cord blood. Public banks don't charge parents for donating cord blood, but charge when the blood is used for a transplant. Costs are charged to the patient's health insurance, according to the Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation. If you donate your baby's cord blood to a bank, the blood type is entered into a registry. When a match is found from the registry, the bank provides the blood to that person. If you donate to a public bank, you may not be able to retrieve your baby's own stem cells if needed. Private cord blood banks, also called family cord blood banks, allow you to store your baby's stem cells for use by you and your family only.
Fees
Private cord blood banks charge an initial processing fee and a storage fee every year. Initial fees range from $900 to $2,100, depending on the predetermined storage period, and storage fees cost approximately $100 per year, according to estimates from the American Pregnancy Association in 2010. Banks may also charge fees for the kit used to collect cord blood. Some cord blood banks may offer discounts and payment plans.
Considerations
If your child has a genetic disease or eventually develops cancer, he will not be able to use stem cells from his own cord blood. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that most conditions that might be helped by cord blood stem cells already exist in the cord blood. While your child may be helped by a stem cell transplant, he will need to use other cord blood that does not contain the disease.
