Find a bank that promises to harvest 80 ml blood. Anything less than that is of no use in the field of transplantation medicine. If a bank assures you of collecting 24 ml or 30 ml, it is technically telling you that his amount will be of no use
You’ve taken those vitamins, you’ve diligently done the tests, you’ve even exercised and eaten right! You’ve picked your gynae, your hospital for delivery, even the dress you’ll wear when you carry your baby home! There’s just one more decision—should you bank your baby’s umbilical cord bloodIJ The answer is, yes of course, but you should still know a few things about the purpose and the process. Here are a few questions on every to-be parent’s mind, answered:
What is cord blood anyway
Blood that is taken from the umbilical cord, minutes after the birth of a baby is cord blood. The cord blood is very rich in stem cells. Stem cells can be derived from many parts of the human body. However, the most reliable and richest source of stem cells is from the Umbilical Cord. Cord blood then is a extremely valuable resource used in regenerative medicine. At present, umbilical cord blood (UCB) is banked as stem cells have the ability to treat blood-related disorders, such as leukaemia and thalassemia, sickle cell disease etc. It is helps in future research developments that may result in therapies and treatments that use these stem cells.
Who will it benefit
This really depends on what kind of cord blood bank you choose. If you choose a bank that preserves the cord blood for the benefit your baby and your immediate family, then the possibility of use is low. So, if your child develops a blood disorder, you won’t be able to use the cord blood as the dysfunctional genes that caused the problem in the first place are already in the UCB. If a sibling develops the disorder then, there is only a 25 per cent chance of the cord being usable.
However, if you put your baby’s cord blood in a Pool Banking facility, your own baby’s cord may benefit someone else, while you and your family will have access to thousands of healthy, perfectly matched cords. Research shows that nearly 70 per cent of patients of Indian origin who require bone marrow transplantation (for which stem cells from cord blood is used) don’t find a match within their own family. They need to look in a shared Pool.
In a Pool bank, the benefit is also a financial one. For every cord that is banked, the bank will take the responsibility of finding a healthy matched cord, which can be used. If you don’t bank your cord, then you would’ve to pay `5 lakhs and above to buy a cord from a Pool or Public bank.
Why is choosing a bank such a big deal
There are two kinds of banks. One kind of bank stores your baby’s cord for use of the same baby and its family members. The other is a pooled bank where every cord stored becomes a part of a shared pool. The first type of bank is of no real use, as using a cord for yourself has very limited usage. The Pool Bank is the only right way to bank a cord, so that in all disorders— genetic, hereditary or acquired — you will be able to use a healthy, matched cord.
Secondly, find a bank that promises to harvest 80ml of blood. Anything less than that is of no use in the field of transplantation medicine. If a bank assures you of collecting 24ml or 30 ml, it is technically telling you that his amount will be of no use.
The third most important aspect is dual storage of cords. If a cord blood bank is offering you dual storage as double insurance, keep in mind that the minimum required blood is 80ml. So, if that splits into two areas, and one area has a mishap, the amount which is left is anyway of no use. So dual storage is a highly suspect benefit. Fourthly, find a bank that is attached to either a research laboratory or does the entire human leukocyte antigen (HlA) matching and processing of your cord before storing it.
Cord blood will be stored at -196oC (if its temperature) and for a period of 21 years, which is the medically proven duration that it can be stored for.
When will this be taken
As soon as your labour pains begin, inform the cord blood bank. They will send a phlebotomist (professionals trained to collect blood) to the hospital to collect the cord blood. For any therapy, at least 80 ml of cord blood is necessary, so do make sure that this clause is mentioned in the paperwork that you sign with the cord blood bank. This blood is then stored cryogenically (frozen form). When it needs to used, this will be thawed in controlled conditions, to ensure minimum loss of stem cells.
The writer is medical director, CelluGen.