What to Look For When Choosing a Cord Blood Bank

By : Admin

When you are comparing cord blood banks you may have a hard time figuring out which one is the right one for you and your family. Cord blood collection and storage is a fairly new technology and business, so it can be hard to determine who is legit and who is not. You may become so overwhelmed by all the information that you’ll give up and either decide not to have cord blood collected, or you’ll pick a random blood bank, which may not be the best idea.

Service

You’ll want to think about the service that any one cord blood bank is able to offer you. If you call and ask questions you should receive direct answers in a very patient and informative manner. You should feel like every cord blood bank really is able to educate you as much as possible. A cord blood bank can be a really good cord blood bank, but if they don’t provide you with the service you expect you should look for another cord blood bank.

Proven Technology

You’ll want to choose a cord blood bank that can provide you with adequate information about the technology they use to preserve the cord blood. A cord blood bank that has a controlled rate cryopreservation is best, as they will slowly freeze the sample gradually getting it to about –196 degrees. If the cord blood is frozen quickly it may damage the cells and banks that do this should be avoided to maintain the integrity of the stem cells contained in the cord blood.

Financial Stability

Financial stability is one of the most important aspects of choosing a cord blood bank, because many cord blood banks have to close the doors and file bankruptcy. You want to make sure that the cord blood bank has been around and has proven to be financially responsible. It’s also a good idea to ask what will happen to your cord blood should the company suddenly find itself bankrupt.

Accreditation

Accreditation is very important when you are looking into cord blood banks. Any bank that you consider should be fully accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. If the bank is not fully accredited or they try to sell you on their “accredited in progress” you’ll want to take your business elsewhere.

Type of Cord Blood Bank

One decision you’ll need to make is if you’ll be collecting the blood for private use or public donation. Public donation is something that you will need to check with your hospital on as many hospitals and public banks cannot work together due to funding issues. If you will be choosing a private bank you’ll more than likely be able to work with any bank of your choice. Inquire with your hospital or medical provider and they may be able to point you in the direction of the banks that they have had the most experience or success with.

Knowing what to look for when choosing a cord blood bank will make the process much easier. The science behind cord blood can be overwhelming and lead you to believe that you aren’t meant to understand the difference between good and bad banks, but like every other business cord blood banks have a duty of educating and serving their customers in a compassionate and straightforward manner. When you know what to look for, choosing a cord blood bank becomes a lot easier!

Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.