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Private Family Cord Blood Banks Offer Opportunity, Affordability and Access

December 14, 2006

Have you considered banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells only to later decide against it due to cost? Maybe as an alternative you’ve considered donating the cord blood to a public cord blood bank? The fact is, not only can family cord blood stem cell preservation be affordable, but there are many potential benefits to be considered when making this all important decision.

Affordability
Expectant parents routinely ask, “Can I afford to bank my child’s cord blood for the exclusive use of my family?” If you can afford to preserve your baby’s cord blood and store it privately for the future, then by all means do so. There are no negative consequences to storing umbilical cord blood—because the stem cells aren’t embryonic, the procedure isn’t controversial and there is no harm to mother or baby. And, even if your child or another family member never ultimately needs the stored cells you’ve had the peace of mind in knowing that they are available. But, in the event that a stem cell transplant becomes medically necessary for a family member, the choice you make now could be lifesaving.

After the initial collection, processing and testing fee, the annual cost for cord blood storage for many private banks is equivalent to less than $3 a week. And many family cord blood banks offer monthly payment and/or no-interest payment plans to make the overall cost manageable. ⁱ

Access
Banking your child’s umbilical cord blood in a private, family bank means you retain complete ownership of the stem cells. Because these cells are yours, you will have access to them whenever and for whatever reason, at no additional cost. They are guaranteed to be available for you or your family if you should ever need a transplant—this is not true with a public bank. In fact, it can cost up to $25,000 to obtain cord blood stem cells from a public cord blood bank—even if you had donated your child’s cord blood to them.

A History Lesson
The first successful transplant using stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood was performed on a boy with Fanconi anemia in France in 1988. Since then, cord blood stem cells have been used to treat more than 80 diseases, such as leukemia and sickle cell disease, in over 8,000 successful transplants. ⁱⁱ

Despite the many successful transplants made possible by banked cord blood, some believe that the likelihood of your child or a family member needing these cells is extremely low unless there is a family history of illness. For this reason, some organizations recommend that parents donate their child’s cord blood to public banks rather than pay to privately store it. ⁱⁱⁱ

When you weigh the decision to donate your baby’s cord blood or preserve it for your own family, it is important to have all the facts. The first family cord blood banks were established in the early 1990s and began offering parents the chance to preserve their child’s cord blood cells for potential future need. As of 2005, there were more than 20 family cord blood banks in the U.S. that collectively store more than 500,000 units of cord blood. ^iv


Opportunity
If you have been considering preserving your baby’s cord blood, family banking holds many advantages:

Higher opportunity for matching: Because the cells come directly from your baby, the chances of a successful transplant vastly increase due to the genetic compatibility with family members. If your baby needs these cells, a self-match is guaranteed; if a sibling needs the cells, the chances of a perfect match are 1 in 4. And, due to cord blood’s primitive nature, the practical use of cord blood between siblings could be as high as 1 in 2.

Lower probability of transplant-related complications: In general, there is a lower incidence of severe Graft vs. Host Disease, the primary complication from transplants, when using cells from a matched sibling donor.

Future therapeutic opportunities: Private banking creates the opportunity to use your baby’s stem cells for future therapies to potentially treat serious medical conditions for the baby or other family members. In addition to the current, proven uses for cord blood, researchers are evaluating their potential in treatments for stroke, heart attack, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and more. There is only one time—during childbirth—that these cells can be collected and preserved.


Choosing a Family Cord Blood Bank

Once you’ve considered the issues and understand the potential benefits of banking your newborn’s umbilical cord blood for your family, the next step is choosing the right cord blood bank to fit your family’s needs. Take time to review fact-based comparisons of cord blood banks with an eye towards quality leadership; client base; offer features and value. Client testimonials can also provide candid and first-hand insight about the customer experience. Some private banks even offer unique value-enhancing features such as locked-in pricing for future children; lump sum financial assistance in the event of transplant; college-savings plan contributions; etc. Before finalizing your selection, consider the following:

Stability: Look for a cord blood bank with a strong track record—a company that has successfully operated for years may be more likely to be in business years down the road.

Licensure/Accreditation: Be sure the bank you choose is registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. Additional industry accreditations often signal the bank’s priority focus on quality leadership.

Control of processing and storage: Make sure the bank is not simply a marketing outlet. They should perform their own processing and storage.

Successful transplants: Review the company’s transplant record. A good cord blood bank will have a track record of producing viable cells for transplant.

Cord blood preservation is a personal decision that should be made on an individual basis by you and your family. Knowing the facts about cord blood stem cells, as well as the future possibilities they hold, can help you make an informed decision. If you can afford to preserve your baby’s cord blood in a family cord blood bank, then do so and hope you will never need it. Should a transplant be necessary for your child or another family member, your child’s own preserved cord blood may be the best option for success, and could save a loved one’s life.

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ⁱ Cryo-Cell International (2006) Retrieved Dec 4, 2006 from the World Wide Web: www.cryo-cell.com
ⁱⁱ March of Dimes (2006) “Medical References: Cord Blood.” www.marchofdines.com
ⁱⁱⁱ Fisk NM, Roberts IAG, Markwald R, Mironov V (2005) Can routine commercial cord blood banking be scientifically and ethically justified? PloS Med 2(2): e44.
^iv A Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Banks (2005) Retrieved Nov. 30, 2006 from the World Wide Web: www.parentsguidecordblood.com