Cord Blood Registry

Undoubtedly, we have come to a stage where cord blood donation in a cord blood registry has taken up a key role in treating various ailments. Cord blood stem cells from your baby's umbilical cord are considered the building blocks by the medical community. These cells are under the constant scrutiny of medical communities for more latent possibilities of treatments. Researches have brought low cost and effective treatments for diseases like diabetes, blindness, cardiac diseases, spinal cord diseases, Parkinson's diseases, diseases of neurons, cognitive disorders, Alzheimer's disease etc., with stem cell transplants.

"The AXP technology uses a next-generation cryobag for storage that is constructed with a blow-molded process that eliminates seams...[which] is important because it greatly improves the integrity of the bag and significantly decreases the potential for breakage that has been documented to occur in traditional seamed-plastic storage bags." States Phil Coelho, chief executive officer of Themogenesis.

According to an estimate, around 72,000 babies are born in India daily. Therefore, 72,000 umbilical blood cords if not banked are going to the trash bin despite their phenomenal healing potential. So, expectant couples are advised to consider cord blood banking to safeguard their future.

Parents interested for cord blood storage may enroll either with a public cord blood bank, non-profit private bank or with a for-profit private bank. Public banks collect cord blood samples, which are to be used for researches and stored for public use. The public banks do not reserve the sole rights of donors for usage, whereas private banks are formed to preserve rights of donors to use cord blood stem cells exclusively for their family requirements.

Registration and enrollment process of the cord blood banks are quite simple regardless of the type - public or private. The banks that charge fee for cord blood storage may offer 6 months interest free payment plans. The cord blood registry charges its clients for the bank?s laboratory, collection kits, sample typing, processing and storing. After collection of cord blood samples from umbilical cords of the baby, the samples are couriered to the cord blood banks.

During processing of cells, red blood cells are separated by some of the banks. However, some banks retain these cells as well. After separation, cells undergo screening process to determine bacterial and viral contamination, sterility, quantity of the cells in samples and viability of the cells for future treatments. The cord blood banks charge annual fees to allow donors to use their storage facilities for cord blood preservation. The annual fees for the cryogenic storing facility are generally charged at the end of each year.

Cord blood banks offer a host of different types of payment options. Some banks devise payment schemes like pre-paying plans to provide cord blood registry services for up to 15 to 20 years of storage. A one-time payment option is often offered with a considerable discount over the per year charges.