Your advice please - to cord blood or not
Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:32 am
As the birth of our boy approaches, we're struggling with the decision whether or not to bank the cord blood.
I've done some reading, but the majority of what's out there seems to be biased toward banking it.
It costs about $1000 to set up, then another $125/year. This is one of the companies that works with our hospital: www.insception.com
Is there any benefit specifically for people with MS?
Some drawbacks I've heard:
- no government (Canada) regulation on how it is stored
- only lasts up to 10 years
- no guarantees the cells will survive
- genetic abnormalities causing ailment will be present in the cord blood as well
- baby loses the precious beneficial moments of cord pulsing, where iron and oxygen rich blood moves back up the cord after delivery.
- other avenues of stem cell research are developing quickly
- $$
- there isn't enough in a cord to adequately treat an adult
I would love to hear your thoughts on this. I am almost convinced not to do it, but the guilt I would feel in the event it could have been useful is enough to give me pause.
I've done some reading, but the majority of what's out there seems to be biased toward banking it.
It costs about $1000 to set up, then another $125/year. This is one of the companies that works with our hospital: www.insception.com
Is there any benefit specifically for people with MS?
Some drawbacks I've heard:
- no government (Canada) regulation on how it is stored
- only lasts up to 10 years
- no guarantees the cells will survive
- genetic abnormalities causing ailment will be present in the cord blood as well
- baby loses the precious beneficial moments of cord pulsing, where iron and oxygen rich blood moves back up the cord after delivery.
- other avenues of stem cell research are developing quickly
- $$
- there isn't enough in a cord to adequately treat an adult
I would love to hear your thoughts on this. I am almost convinced not to do it, but the guilt I would feel in the event it could have been useful is enough to give me pause.