Public vs. Private Cord Blood Banks

Which one should i opt for?

Private blood banks are more suitable for families which have a history of illnesses like leukemia. You can control the use of your baby’s cord blood and can receive it instantly if needed.

However, stored blood cannot be used to treating genetic diseases in the child from whom it was collected. The reason being the stem cells possess the same pre existing genetic condition. Also, it may be true that the chances that someone in your family would need the blood are very small. Moreover, it can cost more than $2000 to collect and store the cells.

However in future, if the child or his / her sibling suffers from any of the several diseases curable by cord blood, then banking the baby’s cord blood could prove to be a boon and an invaluable biological insurance for the baby and its siblings.

Public blood banking is usually free:

When you donate your baby’s cord blood, his or her name is added to a national registry. He or she is then guaranteed to receive cord blood if needed, but usually from another donor.

Not all hospitals collect cord blood for public use, but if yours does, the chances that it will help save lives are much greater than when it’s stored in a private bank