Cord Blood Storage

Cord Blood Storage is often described as a good investment or a type of insurance for your child in case he or she may need some type of cord blood transplantation in the future. For many parents, the fees associated with Cord Blood Storage are considered reasonable for the potential good this service may provide.

Similarly, many expecting parents see placental and cord blood storage, the storing of the blood forming stem cells from the placenta and the child's umbilical cord blood, as a biological option that could one day save the lives of their children.

cord blood storage can be very expensive. Samples may cost upwards of $1000+ for storage, have a yearly fee, courier service fees, kit charges and maintenance fees. Although one hopes to never have to use this blood, the expense in keeping it and never using it may be something to carefully consider. Donating the blood to a commercial blood bank may be wiser, but receiving cord blood in the event of sickness, disease or other unfortunate event, will not necessarily return your donated stem cells, as they may have been used for another patient.

There are some free Cord Blood Storage resources available, such as the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute which offers a Sibling Donor Cord Blood Program that allow families to store their infant's cord blood in the event of a transplant-treatable disease. If your child is able to pass the pre-screening process, the program has been highly regarded and is an excellent, free alternative to private a Cord Blood Registry.

Finally, it is important to note that at this time, there is no clear cut proof to show that using Cord Blood Registry for a kind of biological insurance is right for everyone. However, the latest scientific data regarding stem cell research is showing great promise.