Yay or Nay - Banking Cord Blood

Paige - posted on 09/23/2010

@Kate
Ookay, I guess from that stand point I can sort of see what they're saying. Though personally, I will be donating mine as I can't afford to privately bank it here.

Jessica - posted on 09/23/2010

Like other people said... its too freaking expensive!!

With DS we donated it instead. I figured if it had the potential to save a life, why not?

This time we're going to a birth center and their standard practice is to let it stop pulsing before they cut it- so the baby gets the blood. So that's what we're doing this time. I guess I don't feel very strongly about it either way... except that someone mentioned they heard someone say they were morally opposed to banking/donating because it has stem cells?? Makes NO sense to me...

Katherine - posted on 09/22/2010

Here's the link to the Cord Blood Registry, I guess it is worldwide!!

http://www.cordblood.com/

Charlie - posted on 09/22/2010

We left the cord on until it had finished pumping all the blood out so i am not sure if it is still usable after that however i am all for it .

Joanna - posted on 09/22/2010

I wasn't aware that you could just donate it... I'll have to look into that. I'd love to bank it, but it's so ridiculously expensive (thousands to just draw it, and a monthly fee to store it).

Holly - posted on 09/22/2010

I donated the chord blood both times.



My reasoning: there is just so much medical good chord blood can do. I'm not using it, and my baby's not using it (and goodness knows i don't have enough money to privately bank it!), so why not give it to someone who can use it and possibly learn how to help others from it? For me, it's kinda like being an organ donor. If I'm not using it any more, and someone else could benefit from it, why should I just throw it away?



edited to add: I live near a very advanced medical school campus and they are constantly looking to do more research (especially in cancer related fields) and since my mentor died from ovarian cancer in 2003, I feel that I need to help in any way I can. I donated the chord blood directly to the college and I got a letter 6 months later telling me exactly what research my baby's chord blood went to. I am so happy they honored my request and put it towards ovarian cancer research :)

Caitlin - posted on 09/22/2010

It's insanely expensive, and I don't know if it's worth making the family broke "just in case" though if it was my kid, i'd do anything to save them if they were sick. Katherine, I like the idea of a public bank, it's a great idea, and i'd bank the cord blood, even if it wasn't me that benefited from it. The potential is amazing, and there are new advances every day.

Katherine - posted on 09/22/2010

In Michigan (and I'm sure in other states) they now have a public bank. So when Karmanos asked me if I wanted to bank my daughters cord blood I was so excited!! I or anyone else can use it. Chances are no one will need it in 10 years, which is the life of the blood and it's free. If someone does need it they let you know, you have to go through rigorous testing and hey it's just awesome that I have a chance to save someone's life!!

Kate CP - posted on 09/22/2010

Paige: It's probably because cord blood is rich in stem cells and stem cell research, to a lot of people, is morally wrong. Personally, I think that line of reasoning is stupid...but whatever gets a person through the day, I guess. :/

Rosie - posted on 09/22/2010

i donated my first childs cord blood. i'm not opposed at all, but like the other ladies have said it is expensive. but i guess that's WHY i donated. i wish i would've been reminded with my last two, i would've done it with them as well.

Paige - posted on 09/22/2010

It is very expensive, and I agree that if I could afford it, I would definitely get my babies cord blood banked. Oddly enough though, the reason I post this question, is because I heard two women discussing this and how 'morally wrong' it was. I don't understand how it can be morally wrong, I view it as a safety net for if something goes wrong like my child gets leukemia and treatment isn't working, then we can try my kids cord blood and see if that works.

Kate CP - posted on 09/22/2010

Well...if I could frickin' afford it I would do it. Especially with all the health problems that run in my family. But, it's just too damned expensive.

Morgan - posted on 09/22/2010

that was our problem as well, its very expensive :)

Liz - posted on 09/22/2010

It can save your childs life from many illnesses but it's expensive and I couldn't afford it either.

Jenni - posted on 09/22/2010

I can't see how anyone would be opposed to it. It has potential to cure a lot of diseases. I definitely don't see how banking cord blood would hurt.

I wish I could have done it but we couldn't afford it.

Cathy - posted on 09/22/2010

It wasn't something that ever crossed my mind at the time. If I was asked to donate the cord blood then I would have no issue with allowing it.

It holds a lot of medical potential for treating a wide variety of diseases. Once detached from myself and my baby I have no need for it. So use it where it can make a difference!