Cord blood banking

We did it, they have finance options. We had to pay $450 up front and then the rest was on credit (about another $2000). We actually managed to save that money though and payed it in full. I had took the maternity option which meant that we didn't start paying for 6 months.
Worth every penny as far as we are concerned and no question we will be doing it with the next one too.

I think you can get it done anywhere, the lady I interviewed said that if your LMC doesn't know how to do it, Cord Bank will provide a trained nurse at your delivery to collect the cord blood. Cord Bank provides you with a kit with everything you need to do it.

Under nz law it can only be used for the person who is was taken from but they are pushing for that law to be changed so that it can be used for other family members especially siblings where the compatability is higher.
Is such a shame with the laws over here, in England you can just choose to donate the stem cells and it doesn't cost anything. (I think it costs if you choose to store privately though).
We would have donated them if it was an option here.

Yeah, but you KNOW it's a definite match for at least one of them so it's not a total gamble.

Blood typing indicates the type of antigens expressed on red blood cells only, whereas stem cells (which are the 'magic' multi-purpose cells obtained from cord blood) are different and express different markers on their surface that every other cell in our bodies also expresses (namely HLA - human leukocyte antigens). There are many many markers, but I think they test for the major 10-20 of them when doing things like matching bone marrow donors etc.

Any stem cells that are able to be used later on in your child's life (touch wood it never needs to happen!) will probably only be suitable for that child (unless a sibling has a high rate of matching for the HLA's). And then as previously said, the ethics approval would still have to be obtained.

I think it's a great idea, although slightly costly!

Edited to add: re: Nefertiti's comment - I'm not sure about that either. In theory if your child is born with a genetic disorder, the stem cells in the cord blood may well also have the same problem.... I might have to do some more research before I decide whether to go for it or not...

Edited by blondy

The child who's mother I interviewed had Cerebral Palsy which is a brain injury rather than a disease, but I know they can also be used to treat leukaemia in childhood which is something that develops rather than being born with it, but I'm not sure about pre-existing conditions that they are born with.

Well I guess when its an emergency...but still.
And if the mum had HIV or hepatitis, then this would hopefully have been picked up in earlier blood tests before baby is born.
Despite all their admin cost, I was not aware that they send out a pack full of vials and needles etc...
I guess I'd just be frustrated if the trained person was not able to collect the 25mls if there was not an emergency, and I still had to pay.
Just my point of view anyway

Thats disgusting (the price) It should be free :/ Theres no way we'll be able to afford to do that!

It would be nice if it was free or at least subsidised!

We looked at it last time but the price stopped us...we'd consider it with number 2 though, especially with me now bringing in more money could be an option when the time comes.

Yeah I think we would have struggled without the payment plan, plus we found out about it early into the pregnancy so was able to just add cord blood banking to the massive list of all the stuff we had to get and then budgeted for the weekly payments as well.
Funny this came up today cos when DH came in with the post there was a newsletter from Cordblood about different cases, think one must be the story of the lady who you have interviewed from what you have said.