Excitement, anticipation, and endless planning—when navigating pregnancy, you’re likely to be affected by these three aspects. There’s always something to note, from diet and doctor’s appointments to choosing a crib and packing your hospital bag. But among all these important decisions, one necessary step is often overlooked: stem cell banking during pregnancy. Thanks to advanced medical technology, today’s parents have the opportunity to keep the most powerful and life-saving cells from their baby’s umbilical cord.
Considering cord blood banking on your pregnancy checklist is no longer just a pipe dream. It is actually a wise decision to save the stem cells that may provide the child with medical help in the future.
Here are the reasons why a growing number of parents-to-be are choosing to preserve umbilical cord stem cells, and why you should be one of them.
Understanding Stem Cell Banking
Stem cell banking is the process by which blood and tissue are collected from the umbilical cord of a newborn and later stored. This blood is very rich in hematopoietic stem cells – cells that can develop into different types of blood and immune cells. These stem cells can play a useful role in treating the most common diseases, and ongoing research is revealing more medical uses for them.
In other words, something that would normally be discarded can serve as a medical support for your baby in the years to come. There it turns out that cord blood banking is an option that really needs your attention.
Why add this to your pregnancy checklist?
Most parents-to-be create lists to keep track of things—prenatal vitamins, baby clothes, ultrasounds, and birth plans. Adding pregnancy stem cell banking to this list is one way to ensure you don’t miss out on this unique opportunity. After all, it’s a moment you can’t repeat after the baby arrives and the cord is shed.
Programming gives you the opportunity to:
- Join a stem cell bank
- Discover collection methods
- Clarify the details with your gynecologist
- Get information about storage and costs
Turning this part of your pregnancy into a trip ensures that everything goes smoothly and stress-free on the day of delivery.
The advantages of stem cell storage
The benefits of stem cell banking extend far beyond the idea of convenience.
The following are the reasons that lead many future parents to consider it as a precaution for the health of their children in the future:
1. Treating Over 80 Different Medical Conditions
Today, umbilical cord-derived stem cells are used to treat diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, thalassemia, and a number of immune system deficiencies. The list continues to expand as new treatments emerge.
2. The best possible genetic match
Biologically speaking, your infant’s cord blood is a one hundred percent genetic match for your baby. This essentially means that the cells receive fewer rejections due to the immune response if necessary. Also, siblings can be compatible, thus creating another layer of security for the whole family.
3. Regenerative Medicine to come
Stem cell research is progressing rapidly. Scientists are investigating potential future therapies to treat cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, type 1 diabetes and eventually spinal cord injuries. Preserving your child’s stem cells may be the key to future medical breakthroughs.
4. Collection is convenient, non-invasive and stress-free
Many people wonder if umbilical cord stem cell preservation is really safe for both mother and baby, and this is one of the biggest advantages of this method. The procedure takes place after the birth – whether vaginal or caesarean – and does not interfere with the birthing process.
5. Biological Whole Life Insurance
Storing cells in a bank is analogous to obtaining biological insurance. Even if you never need to use the bank’s cells, having them there takes the worry off your shoulders and gives you peace of mind—stem cell storage is one possible support your child could turn to in the future.
Where is it stored?
There are three ways to keep it:
Free public cord blood banks
They don’t charge for storage. The donation is available to any patient in need. The facility may also use donated umbilical cord blood for research purposes.
Personal (commercial) cord blood banks
They keep the blood exclusively for the donor and his family. They can be expensive. Facilities usually charge a certain amount for processing and storage.
Is stem cell banking a good idea for every parent?
Despite the amazing prospects, parents must ultimately make the decision for themselves whether or not to commit stem cells. Some households opt for private banking for their own use, while others donate cord blood to public banks where it will be accessible to anyone in need. Whatever decision you make, awareness is the first and most important step.
Final Thoughts
Pregnancy does require a lot of planning, but almost no decision will have as significant an impact on your child’s health as stem cell storage.
As you prepare with your pregnancy checklist, consider adding cord blood banking to your list. The advantages of stem cell storage are quite far-reaching – the initial use could be to treat various serious medical conditions and later, the cells could work as an innovative regenerative medicine.
There’s no doubt that your baby’s umbilical cord is more than just a physical connection. In fact, it could be a lifeline. If you decide to bank stem cells while you are pregnant, you are giving your baby a priceless gift that may be the reason for his or her survival one day.
