Let's talk about cord blood banking -- would you do it? Have you done it? Would you do it again with future children? Have you known anyone who actually used the banked cord blood for their child?
I'm up in the air for my opinion on cord blood banking. For now, it seems too much in the experimental stage for it to be worth it to (personally) financially invest in commercial cord blood banking. I would consider donating cord blood for research, but I have never actually done it. Since my childbearing days are over, it doesn't really matter what *I* would do anyway.
At this point in time, I think it's more important to allow newborns to have their cord blood via delayed cord clamping. This is how I practiced in clinicals (unless the parents were doing commercial cord blood banking), and this is how I plan to practice as a midwife.
Side note: I also do no clamp and cut nuchal cords, if I possibly can. I somersault the baby through the nuchal cord.
12 comments:
On cord blood banking with private companies: NO. There actually have been some local news stories illustrating why: many of the diseases listed as potentially being treated via the stored stem cells from the cord blood are experimental and not standard of care. Therefore, most medical facilities won't touch the stored cord blood. I believe there was also an issue with the FDA in some cases.
But, when I was practicing, if a couple wanted me to collect the cord blood, I did. Even if I disagreed with the companies play on the fears of new parents (because there was never a couple having their second or subsequent baby doing it, at least in my experience), didn't mean I wouldn't collect the blood for them. It was simple to do, and the parents were responsible for sending the kit, etc.
As far as nuchal cords- somersaulting or even manually pulling it over the baby's head was what I did- except just once I did have to clamp and cut. It was so tight I could barely even get a Kelly clamp under it.
I just had my baby 4 months ago and we looked into it but OMG is it ever expensive!! We also felt like we were paying for the chance that something bad could happen. It didn't sit well with us. We ended up doing DCC and I am so glad we did! I hope to use that in practice once I am a midwife.
In my opinion, it is a total scam, for the following reasons:
1] it is already possible to obtain stem cells from other parts of the body, and certainly [2] by the time, if ever, that stem cell therapy actually is valuable for more than very rare types of leukemia, I'm sure cord blood cells will be superfluous. 3] There is no way, after paying huge sums, that the cells will be of any use 20+ years hence, or that the bank will even continue to exist.
Cord blood banking - a big NO for us. Why? Because babies need their cord blood!! Cord blood banking is betting on an extremely theoretical future good by sacrificing an extremely real present need. I'd rather see my baby get a good start in extra-uterine life rather than take away that cord blood on the off-chance that some future good might come of it. Not worth it.
I love that you added the somersault trick here. An intact cord makes a big difference. I love your site and link to it on my webpage. Here's a post I did on cords. I'd love for you to check it out http://www.womanofservice.com/2013/05/dity-birth-cord-around-neck.html.
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Shayna
We donated the cord blood and placenta to a Celgene, a research company. Figured somebody needs to do the research to find all of these wonderful cures. Didn't cost us anything and hopefully it will do some good.
My hospital offers Cord blood donation - and if the cord blood is able to help someone, the family gets a little thank you note from the organization that oversees the donations. It's pretty feel good. Also, you can often still collect a significant amount of blood after the cord is no longer pulsing...
Donation, yes. Banking, no.
I don't believe there has been a single case of a life saved by using their own banked cord blood while thousands have been saved, or enhanced by donated.
The only banking I can be on board with is if mother is exposed to known teratogens/carcinogens while pregnant. I have a friend who had multiple hour plus long fluoroscopy procedures while pregnant. It was recommended they bank his cord blood. In that case I understand...and the fee isn't going to break them.
So donation versus banking: generally, stem cells are very compatible across blood and tissue types, and there really isn't any reason currently to need one's own stem cells. Donation is free, banking costs a lot of money (and they are reliable despite rumors), so the benefit to cost ratio for most people are probably going to fall on the donation side if they choose to draw cord blood.
It's another choice that is up to the parents. Cutting early means you can get the blood, and there's a lower risk of jaundice, but a higher chance of anemia, whereas with delaying cord blood the baby gets all the benefits of the extra blood, but has the increased risk of jaundice, and they won't be able to draw the blood. Only the parents can examine the data and decide which issues are important to them.
My husband's life was saved by the stem cells from donated cord blood. He had acute lymphoblastic leukemia and no living donor could be matched for him. In Dec. 2012 he received 2 separate cord blood units to be sure enough stem cells were given and 1 of those units took over his bone marrow. That child is now 7 years old. We will be forever grateful to his/her parents for their decision to donate. Please consider donating your baby's cord blood.
Here in Quebec we have a Public Cord Blood bank/ You don't pay and the blood is avalible has needed.
http://www.hema-quebec.qc.ca/donner/cellules-souches/don-de-sang-de-cordon-ombilical/index.en.html
Kay
Great post, this is really helpful for new moms to be! Check out this great article about easy tips to stay healthy during your pregnancy! http://travelingpanties.com/2016/05/16/tips-to-stay-healthy-while-pregnant-and-another-pregnancy-vlog-at-18-weeks/
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