SCOOP: Protect your newborn’s health with cord blood banking
Cord blood is full of stem cells that can be collected at birth (Photo courtesy Insception Lifebank)
Emilia Dupuis, a local mom, was sitting in her obstetrician’s office when a nearby pamphlet caught her attention.
“It had some information about where science is going, and how fast the world is changing. And it said that banking my cord blood would be good for my child. So (my husband and I) thought, ‘Why not?’”
Dr. Rahi Victory, medical director of Victory Reproductive Care, said cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord after a baby is born.
“Within that blood is an extensive number of stem cells,” he explained. “They can become any kind of cell the body needs, and they have a potent ability to help heal tissue, regenerate certain cells and treat multiple diseases.”
But there’s only one time these cells can be collected: at birth.
November 17 marks World Cord Blood Day (WCBD) to celebrate the medical potential of these cells, and this year’s focus is education.
“Even just one conversation can save a life,” reads the WCBD website. A free online conference is available for healthcare practitioners and the general public.
To date, there have been over 40,000 cord blood transplants for over 80 diseases worldwide.
Research into cord blood has shown life-changing medical possibilities (Photo courtesy Insception Lifebank)
Tumours, cancers, genetic diseases, immune deficiencies, blood disorders and leukemias have all been treated with cord blood.
It can be used for both first- and second-degree relatives, and there’s ongoing research into its potential for autism, cerebral palsy, type 1 diabetes and even stroke treatments.
“The data coming out of this is very powerful, demonstrating things we've never seen before. This stuff has real life-altering capabilities,” explained Dr. Victory.
The collection process itself is quick and painless.
After a baby is born, the blood is collected from the cord in about five minutes, then a courier takes the collection away for analysis.
However, only a minority of parents choose to bank their cord blood. “The national uptake range is around 10%, maybe 15%, at most,” said Dr. Victory. “We'd really like to see that go up a lot higher.”
Reasons for low banking rates include cost and lack of education. “Whether it's a family doctor or an obstetrician or a midwife, it's up to us to inform patients,” explained Dr. Victory.
But, said Dupuis, “No one talked to me about it, and when I asked my doctor about it, he said, ‘You’ll probably never use it.’”
Dupuis thought that was beside the point.
“Even though the illnesses it can treat are rare, I would pay any amount of money to save my child and have that extra hope,” she said.
Kits for private banking cost about $2,000 each, and parents make yearly payments of about $20.00 a month.
The cord blood collection process is quick and painless (Photo courtesy Insception Lifebank)
For Dupuis, planning ahead and thinking about her monthly budget made the choice clear.
“I just thought, ‘How much do I spend getting my hair or nails done?’ I’d spend more on my nails than I would on saving my kid," she said.
Many private banks, such as Insception Lifebank, offer payment plans and multiple birth discounts. Insurance sometimes covers private banking as well, and parents can even put banking on their gift registries.
And for those unable to bank their blood privately, free public banking is available. The Canadian Blood Services accepts cord blood donations at hospitals in Ottawa, Brampton, Edmonton and Vancouver.
Dr. Victory compared cord blood banking to disability insurance.
“You might pay a small amount into it for years, and you may never use it,” he said. “But if you ever need it, it's there. And it can make a huge difference in your overall health and well-being.”
A prenatal class is one place parents can learn about these options. Markham Prenatal, owned by Insception Lifebank, has been offering free online classes to parents in Windsor.
“One of the modules is about cord blood banking,” said Adam Dennison, commercial director for Insception Lifebank.
Dr. Victory works with Insception. “There's no pressure; it's not a tactic. It's just an information thing where parents are advised of the opportunity and whether they might want to do it,” he said.
Dupuis said her own investment has been well worth the money.
“My son had some health issues with his thyroid, and they were looking for leukemia, which cord blood treats,” she said. “It’s definitely given me peace of mind.”
To learn more about cord blood, visit the WCBD website.
[Related Article: Markham Prenatal brings online pregnancy classes to Windsor]
