Why Bank?

mybabyscordblood.com

Why Bank Your Baby’s Cord Blood?

What is Cord Blood?

Cord blood or umbilical cord blood as it is sometimes called, is the blood that is remaining in the umbilical cord after you give birth. The cord blood itself is a rich, non controversial source of stem cells. These stem cells can only be collected at the time of your child's birth. Typically, if you do not choose to bank your babies cord blood, it is simply discarded with the placenta.

What are stem cells?
Stem cells are the building blocks of our blood and immune systems and can be found in cord blood as well as the body’s bone marrow and peripheral blood. Stem cells are incredibly powerful and have the ability to treat, repair and sometimes replace otherwise damaged cells within the body.

Why do families choose to collect and store their baby's cord blood?
For most families, (including mine) cord blood banking offers a peace of mind that if the need should ever arise, their family’s stem cells would be readily available. Currently, there are over 70 diseases being treated with cord blood stem cells and over 600, 000 families throughout the world have chosen to bank their own baby’s cord blood. Right now, stem cells are being used in clinical studies to treat Type 1 Diabetes as well as Cerebral Palsy. Researchers are also looking into the use of cord blood for the future treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, heart disease and stroke. Others, like me, choose to bank their baby's cord blood due to a family history of illness. Transplants using familial cord blood are twice as successful as transplants using cord blood from a non-relative (i.e. a public donor source).

When is the cord blood collected?

Cord blood stem cells can only be collected at birth.

Are there any risks to myself or to my baby?
There are no risks to the baby or to the mother during the collection process of the cord blood. The baby does not remain in the birthing area at the time of collection and the procedure is painless and non invasive to the mother.

Where can I find out more about cord blood banking?

Please email me with any questions you may have about my experience with cord blood banking. You may also call Viacord directly and speak with a clinical counselor to answer all of your medical and technical questions regarding cord blood. Please be sure to tell the counselor that you heard about cord blood banking on my website and give them my PEN ID # 1306. This will qualify you for an exclusive discount on cord blood banking.

Viacord: 1-888-758-5115 PEN #1306

Email me by clicking on the box to the right.