Private vs Public Bank
Like most parents, there's a good chance you're considering preserving your baby's cord blood for future medical use. After all, it could come in handy one day if your child ever needs a stem cell transplant. But should you preserve it privately or donate it to a public bank? Here's a look at the advantages and disadvantages of both options.
Advantages and Disadvantages of privately banking your baby's cord blood
Private Banks
The primary advantage of private cord blood banking is that it gives parents peace of mind knowing that their child's cord blood will be available if it is ever needed. The cord blood can be used to treat a wide variety of diseases and disorders, including leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia. In addition, cord blood is effective in treating many other conditions, such as cerebral palsy, diabetes, and heart disease. If a family member ever needs cord blood, having it stored in a private cord blood bank ensures it will be available. The cord blood will be a perfect match for their baby, significantly reducing the risk of transfusion reactions.
The primary disadvantage of private cord blood banking is the cost. There is a processing fee plus an annual storage fee. Although, it is more affordable now than ever.
Public Banks
The primary advantage of public cord blood banking is that it is free. Public cord blood banks do not charge fees to collect or store cord blood. In addition, public cord blood banks are typically affiliated with hospitals or research institutions, which means that cord blood is used for medical research purposes. As a result, public cord blood banking helps advance medical knowledge and treatment options for various diseases and disorders.
The primary disadvantage of public banking when parents donate cord blood to a public cord blood bank is they relinquish all rights to the cord blood and give up any control over its future use. As a result, there is no guarantee that cord blood will be available if the child or another family member ever needs it.
Get the best of both worlds with StemCyte
StemCyte is unique amongst cord blood banks as we are a hybrid model with private and public cord blood banking. When you privately bank with StemCyte, your baby will also gain Public Bank Access. With StemCyte, Parents are ensuring their child receives the best of both worlds: exclusive use of your child’s stem cells and access to StemCyte’s ethnically diverse inventory of publicly-donated cord blood units, should you need it in the future.
A personal decision
The decision of whether to privately store cord blood or donate it is a personal one that depends on many factors. By understanding the benefits and drawbacks of both options, you can make an informed choice about what’s best for your family.
If you need help deciding which cord blood bank is right for you, our guides to choosing a cord blood bank can provide information that will help guide you in choosing the best bank for your family. We hope this post has helped you understand the important considerations in storing your baby’s umbilical cord blood.