You may have noticed that banks do a lot of marketing and promotions these days. But what exactly is a cord blood bank? Well, it is a medical bank where doctors extract the hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) from the umbilical cord of the newborn and they can be kept indefinitely. You can store the blood in a private or public bank and it can be used later to treat illness and disease. This may sound like a wonderful medical breakthrough, but there are many myths about private cord blood banks out there. Let’s take a look at these myths and break down the misconceptions that cloud the minds of expectant parents.
1. Can it harm my baby?
Collecting this is in no way harmful to the baby or the mother. Blood that is discarded after birth is normally collected and stored in a bank.
2. Private umbilical cord blood banks can send our baby’s umbilical cord blood for research
This is a complete myth, as private cord blood banks give exclusive access and control to what they store. They charge you annually for storing this and will give you access when you need it in the future. Unlink the public banks to which blood can be sent for research purposes.
3. Choose any bank, they are all the same
Incorrect. Private blood banks must follow strict standards in terms of quality, cost, location, and must be FDA approved and AABB accredited. However, not all private companies have DA approval and AABB accreditation. Those that have both have high annual storage fees and better facilities for storing your baby’s umbilical cord blood for longer.
4. It is always better to store umbilical cord blood in private banks.
Many expectant parents often think that storing their baby’s cord blood in private banks is better than donating it to a public bank. If your family has a history of certain diseases and disorders, choosing a private blood bank may seem logical. However, there is no such history and you don’t even know if you will ever need to access the stored stuff, so donating it to a public bank is a wise move.
5. You cannot treat your child with his own blood, as he may be sick
This claim is not very substantiated, as autologous transplants have been used for more than a decade. The use of stem cells themselves has helped in the treatment of many diseases ranging from neuroblastoma, lymphoblastic leukemia, etc.
6. This blood can remain viable for only 10 years.
Current studies have shown that stem cells stored for approximately 24 years remained viable without any decrease in viability or proliferation. Even cryopreservationists claim that these cells can be stored indefinitely in a controlled environment.
7. Umbilical cord blood banks and ethical issues
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there are certain issues related to the self-use of blood promoted by such banks. The ICMR guidelines for stem cell research (2013) state that there is no scientific basis for preserving this for the future. self-use. Therefore, this practice is not officially recommended and any use other than bone marrow transplantation other than clinical trials is called medical malpractice.
8. You can decide on umbilical cord blood banking just before giving birth
It is not a good idea to make a last minute decision in most cases. Your hospital may not have the collection kit ready during the child’s birth. There are many logistical issues that need to be resolved before you can store this. So be sure to sign up early for this one of your choice for a hassle-free and hassle-free pickup during the birthing process.
These are some of the common myths that are broken down above. this has many benefits in cases where there is a family history of leukemia or thalassemia. However, it will remain a personal choice whether to store the blood or not.
