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Why
I chose to privately bank my newborn son's umbilical cord blood
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by Melody
Kisor, Childbirth Educator, Medical
Researcher and
Mother (updated 6/1/06)
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©2002 Photograph may
not be copied or reproduced
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Introduction: Birth is
expensive. Between medical expenses and getting ready for baby (who
knew someone so little could need so much?!?!?), the bills were really
piling up. Factor in that we were about to go from
double-income-no-kids, to single-income-one (expensive!!!)-baby, we were
not in a position to be spending on anything unnecessary. That said,
we gladly jumped at the
opportunity to bank our son's umbilical cord blood,
despite the cost.
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Peace
of Mind: I'm not a risk
taker. I like statistics and I don't like to gamble or take chances.
I like security! Home owners insurance...life
insurance...medical insurance...car insurance....air bags...smoke
detectors! Hopefully I'll never need any of them, but I'm really
glad I have them!
There is a sense of security in privately banking your
newborn's umbilical cord blood. As a mother, it feels good
to know that should we need this blood (for our own children or for other
relatives), it's there.
There are enough things that keep me up at night...this helps me sleep a little
better. (Sidenote:
When I banked my son's cord blood in 2002, the statistics showed that
there was a 1 in 2,700 chance that it might be needed. A recent study
shows that the stats are actually closer to
1 in 100 chances that someone in
my family might develop a disease treatable with the stem cells from
cord blood by the age of 50.)
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Professional background
and research: As a
medical researcher and perinatal
(childbirth) health educator,
it's my job to keep current in the field and present my expectant students with up-to-date
information and options. After doing my own research and consulting with
genetic specialists, it became clear to me that the science was real and the
future potential to save lives was limitless. Thousands of people have
already been successfully treated with the stem cells* from umbilical cord
blood, and the future applications are very promising. (*please
note: these are
NOT the controversial embryonic stem cells).
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Experience working with
sick children: For
over 15 years, I have been involved in the healthcare field, mostly in
pediatrics and maternal health. Working at the bone marrow transplant ward of a local teaching
hospital, I personally witnessed the agonizing (and hugely expensive) process
of trying to find a suitable donor for sick and dying children. These
parents would do anything, and pay anything, to find a donor match to save their
children. Wouldn't you? Looking at it from this perspective, the $1,500* or so for banking cord
blood seemed like a bargain. (*The prices may be
different now - that's what I paid in 2002)
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Make
an informed choice: As
with any choice surrounding the birth of your baby, it's important to make
an informed choice. Ask around. Do the research. Find
out if your family is at higher risk than average for needing to a stem
cell transplant. Check with your friends who have banked. Make
the best choice for YOUR family.
IMPORTANT:
When asking your healthcare
provider for advice, make sure that he or she has the most current
statistics and information. This is a rapidly-advancing field of
science and some practitioners may have formed opinions based on old data.
Some erroneously believe that private banking is a "scam" -- I assure you,
it is not.
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Why I chose Viacord:
After doing all of my homework,
I
personally chose to bank with Viacord. They were not the least expensive option, but
they had the best customer service, had impeccable scientific credentials and a solid
financial record. They also have a history of successful transplants;
their techniques are tried and true. Not all companies are the
same!
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Choosing Viacord for
out-of-hospital births (birth centers & home births):
Viacord was the only company that guaranteed
me that they would pick up my son's cord blood at any time of the day or night.
This was important to us because my son was born at a free-standing birth center, and we were
discharged home just hours after he was born. The other companies
said that I might have to bring the blood home with me and they would send a
courier the next day or I would have to ship it myself with FedEx (that's the
last thing I wanted to worry about with a 4-hour-old newborn!)
Viacord promised that they would
send a trained medical courier to pick
up the sample before I was discharged, and they honored that promise.
Clinical specialists spoke with my midwife several times
and helped talk her through the process. Shortly after my son Will
was born, a medical courier came and picked up the samples (at 1:00
am!!!).
I was thrilled with the
collection process and customer service and highly recommend Viacord to all of
my friend, family and clients.
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Take Home Message: The
potential medical uses are unlimited, but
the chance to get these cells is a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for each child.
Given how easy it is to collect the cells (it's painless to mother and
baby, and they would be discarded otherwise) and the huge potential for
use in the future, I recommend that all of my students strongly consider
private umbilical cord blood banking.
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4/20/04 - Update:
After writing
this article, a very close relative of ours was diagnosed with a form of
leukemia that can potentially be treated with the stems cells from
umbilical cord blood. Although she chose not to treat the cancer,
the cord blood was available to her if she changed her mind.
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