Donating Umbilical Cord Blood
For expectant mothers who do not want to use their baby's umbilical cord blood or cannot afford to pay for banking it, they may want to do a good deed and donate it instead to a cord blood storage center. This way, the precious cord blood is not wasted and it will give someone the chance to lead a longer and healthier life. The differences between banking and donating will be explained in the article below, as well as the benefits of cord blood donation.
The difference between banking and donating umbilical cord blood
Cord blood banking usually involves a deposit of cord blood that has been taken from an umbilical cord and cryogenically frozen by an accredited cord blood storage company. The baby's family pays a regular amount to the storage facility so that in case the baby contracts a disease like leukemia or cancer later on, the baby's cord blood can be withdrawn and used for therapy. Usually, a large initial deposit is required in addition to the monthly or annual maintenance payment. These payments will ensure that the baby will be entitled to his or her own store of umbilical cord blood when it is needed.
The donating of umbilical cord blood , on the other hand, is completely free of charge. The baby is not specifically entitled to his or her stored umbilical cord blood . It becomes “open to public consumption” to be sold by the cord blood bank to waiting patients. The umbilical cord and its blood will be handed over to a representative of the cord blood storage facility where the blood will be extracted and stored.
Benefits of donating umbilical cord blood
Since an umbilical cord that is not going to be used is just going to be thrown away, it may as well be used for a good purpose. There are many blood cord recipients who are just waiting for willing donors. In the USA alone, over 40,000 people stricken with leukemia are still without donors. Of this number, more than 25,000 are children below the age of 12. Donating cord blood can be the chance to save someone's life.
Also, there are racial distinctions between cord blood samples. For instance, an African-American baby's cord blood is more readily assimilated by someone who is also African-American than cord blood taken from someone of Hispanic or Asian decent. While there is no risk of graft versus host disease for people who choose cord blood transplants, there are some kinds of blood that are more readily accepted by the body than others. Quick assimilation means shorter periods of lowered immunity resistance which is important for patients recovering from leukemia.
This service is totally free and does not require the family to pay upkeep costs to maintain the potency of the umbilical cord blood . Usually, cord blood storage facilities are maintained privately by a separate institution or affiliated hospital.