With the technological advancements, there are various choices parents are offered with today for their baby who is about to come into this world. Amongst all, banking the baby’s cord blood is one major decision that parents need to make. Most of the parents are unaware of what this is all about and they make a decision without knowing the facts which can cause harm to their baby. There are certain factors that a parent needs to know before he opts for this particular decision. This article will guide you in making the right decision for your baby.

Understanding cord blood and its benefits:

In simple terms, cord blood can be defined as the blood inside the baby’s umbilical cord. This blood is different from the normal blood because it has special cells known as stem cells which are considered to be of high value by doctors to treat the child or his brothers and sisters from fatal diseases. Basically, children who have the same parents have the same genes. In this way, their stem cells at the time of birth can be used to treat a disease or a disorder of their sibling within the family. There are some very dangerous diseases which can be treated through this blood such as leukemia and sickle cell anemia.

What should be done?

Over the years, doctors have been researching on the advantages of banking baby’s cord blood and today they advice parents to bank the baby’s cord blood so that the baby can be treated if any disease or disorder occurs which is fatal. Now, when a doctor tells you to bank the cord blood you should ask the doctor about the advantages it can give you. It is not a decision that you can make within minutes or at the eleventh hour in fact you should decide this before the delivery time and let your doctor know because the blood has to be preserved right at the time of the birth. There are people who are against this practice as well and there are many opinions supporting it too therefore it is best to consult your doctor regarding this issue and get the right advice.

How is it stored?

At the time of the baby’s birth, the doctor or nurse takes the cord blood and cryogenically freezes it. This blood is stored in the hospital’s storage facility known as the cord blood bank. This blood is then fully preserved and the stem cells can be in it for a long time. Scientists yet don’t have an answer to how long can the cells can be alive once the blood is frozen. An example of how long the cells are alive is that blood stored in the 70s still has the cells alive in it. Even today, medical science is working on the diseases that can be cured through this blood and who knows in the future how many diseases could be cured with the stem cell.

Should every parent do it?

Banking the cord blood is not absolutely necessary for every parent to do. As it is a highly expensive process, therefore doing it for no good reason is useless. However, if during your pregnancy you come to know that your child might have a disease or a child you already have has a disease that can be cured by cord blood then it is important for you to do so. In such a case, banking the cord blood can prove to be beneficial for you.

Author Bio: Doc. No.: CBFADS729 Colby Brister is a writer for My Baby Bedding Shop and he would like if you check out his Glenna Jean Crib Bedding and Glenna Jean Isabella Collection and his Glenna Jean McKenzie collection.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: Is banking baby’s cord blood right