The landscape of healthcare is changing rapidly, and one of the latest innovations that is widely recommended by all doctors to expecting parents is cord blood banking. The decision to store the cord blood of newborn babies has witnessed a surge among young urban Indian parents. But why? What’s driving this change? And what is cord blood banking all about? Is it necessary?
Let us answer all your questions around it in our brief yet detailed guide to cord blood banking for Indian parents.
Defining Cord Blood Banking
Cord blood banking is the non-invasive process of cord blood collection from the severed umbilical cord right after the birth of a newborn.
This blood is actually a goldmine of stem cells, which as you know, have been the number one treatment option for a wide range of blood disorders and blood cancers so far. Previously, deriving stem cells from the bone marrow of a healthy person was the only option and that was extremely painful, did not offer the same level of compatibility as cord blood does, was expensive, and fraught with risks.
In cord blood banking though all of these issues go away. All you have to do is sign up for it during the pregnancy so a trained paramedic can extract cord blood from the detached umbilical cord at the time of delivery via a syringe, store it in a tamper-proof bag and transfer it to a certified cord blood bank for testing and storage. It’s absolutely pain-free for both you and your baby!
The Purpose Of Cord Blood Collection
We’re sure the next question you have on your mind is “why is cord blood collected?” The answer is simple – cord blood collection is a type of investment into your child’s future health.
The future is uncertain and may bring a number of health issues and diseases. To ensure your child has a good shot at full recovery from the following is why cord blood is collected:
- Leukemia, lymphoma and other types of blood cancers
- Bone-marrow based conditions
- Anemia, Sickle Cell Disease and other types of blood disorders
- Immune system disorders
In fact, storing your baby’s cord blood stem cells does not only save them from the hands of these diseases, but they can also save your family members if you opt for a broader coverage plan.
Major Benefits Of Cord Blood Banking
Cord blood banking offers several benefits! But since we’re short on space here, we’re going to tell you about the most major ones so you can see for yourself just how beneficial it can be:
- First up, it’s practically painless! Plus, collected cord blood stem cells can actually save the life of your baby in the future if the need arises.
- Cord blood collection has virtually no impact on your pregnancy, delivery, or your journey after with your newborn. It’s truly free of side effects so you have nothing to worry about.
- Cord blood stem cells are already used in the treatment of 80+ diseases, particularly certain blood cancers and disorders affecting the blood, immune system and metabolism. At the same time, research is exploring their potential in areas such as cerebral palsy, diabetes and heart conditions. While these applications are still investigational, ongoing research could open the door to new uses in the future.
Types Of Cord Blood Banking Available In India
Indian parents have three choices when it comes to cord blood banking type. Each of them offer their own pros and cons so choose carefully:
Public Cord Blood Banking
Public cord blood banks invite donations from all parents and use the donated stem cells to help those in need. This type of stem cell banking is more of a charitable act and parents do not get access to their deposited units. Though they can apply for a donor if they ever need one in the future.
Private Cord Blood Banking
Private cord blood banks are expensive and take a diametrically opposite approach to public cord blood banks. Here the deposit you make is solely accessible to you. No one else has any right to it. Despite it being costly, it’s a good choice if someone in your family is currently in need of a transplant.
Community Cord Blood Banking
Very few banks offer community cord blood banking in India. LifeCell’s Community Stem Cell Banking services are one of them. What happens here is you get the best features of both public and private cord blood banking. Your baby’s cord blood is preserved and becomes part of a community registry, giving your family access to your own stored unit as well as 85,000+ qualified cord blood units in LifeCell’s community inventory. For families of Indian origin, LifeCell states that its registry offers a >97% chance of finding a suitable match, based on an ICMR study indicating that a registry with more than 85,000 donated cord blood units can provide a 97% chance of finding a match for an Indian patient.
Conclusion
For new parents, navigating through the world of cord blood banking can seem inherently complex. However, it’s really simple as you can see. All you have to do is plan early in your pregnancy and make sure you choose the right bank and storage plan. That’s enough for you and your family to reap the benefits of cord blood banking for a long time to come.