COMMON MYTHS ABOUT CORD BLOOD BANKING

Read on to understand the myths and facts pertaining to Cord Blood Banking....

Cord blood banking is a relatively new concept in comparison to other medical technologies that individuals take advantage of. However, it has been becoming popular day by day as more and more people become aware about it. But stillt here is a large number of myths among the general public. A better understanding of cord blood and cord blood banking phenomenon may help people make informed and scientific decisions.

Following are some of the most common misconceptions about cord blood banking these days

Myth 1 - Doctors can't use a baby’s own cord blood for treating him / her since it would contain the condition / ailment that they are trying to cure. If done so, the patient would not benefit and his condition would further deteriorate.

Fact – Cord Blood transplants in which the individual's own stem cells are utilized are done all the time and have seen to be quite effective in treating diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma etc. In fact, the patient's own stem cells are considered the most effective. Infants and little children who were treated with their own stem cells exhibited a higher rate of recovery than patients who were given others’ cord blood stem cells as per certain studies. A greater risk to transplant patients (and probably a key cause of death) is that the patient’s body may react negatively to another person's blood because the two types of blood are not compatible with each another. By using a patient’s own stem cells, this risk is eliminated and the dangers associated are quite lower.

Myth 2: If your family doesn’t have any history of cancer, then your baby won’t require stem cells ever in his / her life.

Fact: Families opt for cord blood banking as insurance for future requirement of their child or other family members. Majority of cancers are still unknown and they are believed to be spreading at an alarming rate. Recent studies reveal that one in every 600 children is prone to cancer by the age of 15 years. Hence, it is always a good idea to bank the cord blood of your baby. It may help save the life of your child.

Myth 3: Cord blood collection draws essential blood from the baby’s body.

Fact: This is not true at all. Stem cell cord blood is present in umbilical cord of the baby. If not collected, it would be discarded anyway. The umbilical cord is first clamped and removed, and then, the blood remaining in it is drawn out.

Myth 4: You can donate to a public cord blood bank and retrieve the stem cells in the future, if required.

Fact : Only if the cord blood sample is preserved and not been used for research purpose or for transplant in some other patient, one might regain the donated blood sample of his / her child. Further, not all donated cord blood samples are banked. Several studies have shown that more than 50 per cent of the potential donors are not eligible to donate cord blood. Around 70 per cent of donations are prone to rejection by the banks based on factors like family medical record, volume of collection, and blood sample analysis of the mother.