Cord Blood Banking

We've decided that we or I should probably say I have decided that I want to bank our baby's cord blood this time around. 

I've been toying with this decision since we had Elle. There seems so many benefits to having these stem cells that I feel the exorbent fee is worth it to me. It is probably the only purchase I hope we'll never have to use but since we have the technology, I think it would be wise to bite the bullett.

Why have I opted to bank?

It could be life saving. Umbilical cord blood is an extremely rich source of stem cells that are used to treat more than 80 life threatening diseases and disorders – including cancer, blood disorders, immune system disorders, and genetic diseases. Stem cells can also rebuild the immune system after chemotherapy and be used as an alternative to a bone marrow transplant. 

It's not just for your baby. Finding a bone marrow transplant donor can be difficult particularly for minority and mixed race patients, but because a perfect match isn’t necessary when using cord blood, it’s much easier. They are also working on new technology to be able to collect more stem cells that would allow them to be used to treat adults and older children/teens/etc. For this reason, we are considering going to the donation route and not private banking. But I'm still not sure. 

They've made it easier to donate these days, providing you with kits where the doctors put the cells and you just pop it in the mail. I've looked into a few different banks like CBR and StemCyte but still haven't decided on a place. 

Did any of you decide to bank or not to bank and for what reason? Any recommendations on a bank to use?
 

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[Americord Registry]

Facts About Americord’s Unparalleled Service And Standards
Americord Registry is dedicated to providing our clients with the highest quality cord blood banking service and standards at the most affordable prices. We walk the talk with policies that make cord blood banking a simple process from the time you enroll until after you give birth.

No-Risk Enrollment & No Fee Cancellation Policy

About half of all babies arrive before their due date, so it is important to make a decision as soon as possible. Americord recommends that you enroll at least 90 days prior to your baby’s due date, and we make deciding to enroll early as risk-free as possible with the following policies:...
http://cordadvantage.com/cord-blood-blogs/2012/12/21/facts-about-americords-unparalleled-service-and-standards/