How many of you will save the cord blood stem cells?

Cord blood banking is very actual now and I just wanted to know how many of you will save your child`s stem cell? At our state there are just private banks and I should pay 3000 dollars for that and I can`t afford it. I`m a little sad and anxious about that. I believe in God and I hope we will not need that in our life. I hope my financial situation will improve when I will have another child and then I can afford it.

[neasyc]

i would love to but also cant afford it

[sewpretty]

exactly.  it sounds like a great idea but it's just too expensive!

[spade22]

The chances that your child or a family member will need the cord blood is very, very, very slim - the reason it costs so much to bank is because the company is out to make a profit!   However, some hospitals allow one to donate cord blood - what better gift can you give than that?  I fully intend to do that if that option is available after I deliver and would hope, that because of others doing the same thing, that there would be cord blood available for my family to use  in the very unlikely event that it is ever needed.

[Shannon125]

I am banking my baby's cord blood. I am a research scientist and perhaps understand a little more clearly the benefits of having it banked. Science is making leaps and bounds by day and the chances of someone needing it in your family some day is not as slim as someone else mentioned. I think 3000 dollars is nothing for that peace of mind. I am paying about 2700 upfront and that includes 20 years of banking. And while yes the companies are out to make a profit, the shear cost alone of preserving the stem cells according to FDA regulations is beyond expensive. I work in an HIV research lab and we bank white blood cells and I can tell you that our cost out of our grant money each year is approximately 5 million dollars to bank the cells. This is not even including lab supplies, technician salaries or otherwise. So please do not assume that it is all about profit. Furthermore, the cord blood companies also offer wonderful installment plans that you could look into that cost around 100 dollars a month. That is much better than paying the cost up front if you can't afford to do so. I would seriously look into it because in this day and age I feel we owe it to our baby's if the technology is there.

[spade22]

The odds of your child needing a transfusion of their own cord blood, in their lifetime, is between 1/1000 - 1/20,000.  There are also many medical conditions that are treated more successfully with a donors cord blood than with ones own.

Incidentally, something else to consider is that the $3000 to bank privately cord blood is the initial "start up" cost only - many cord blood banks also require an annual maintenance fee (and what happens if in 15 years that cost happens to be $5000?).

[Shannon125]

Well as I mentioned, I am getting the initial baking and 20 years storage for 2700 upfront so again as I said, not a lot for peace of mind. The current rate for the annual maintenance fee you mentioned (if you were to pay in installments) is around 125 dollars a year. I have researched all of the companies out there. And while yes it is better to pay up front for this service, I do not think that it would somehow sky rocket to 5000 dollars just for a year of storage any time soon. And finally, while I am not trying to argue with you, the odds you mention are a little off.

According to medical research, the odds that a child will need to use his or her own stem cells for current uses is 1 in 2,700, and the odds that a family member would need to use those cells are about 1 in 1,400. These odds do not include the emerging use of cord blood stem cells to treat heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and spinal cord injury. The continued progress would greatly increase the likelihood of use.

Furthermore, the most honest answer available is that it is estimated that 1 out of 450 individuals will use their cord blood by age 70. That is the number that has been established by non-biased leading experts in the field of stem cell research.

Again, I am not trying to start an argument with you. You are entitled to your opinion and I was just offering her my opinion as well. Also, the numbers I just mentioned are actual quotes from medical journals and other websites. I have not made them up.

[sewpretty]

You're allowed to bank your own blood in the even that you may need it due to an accident or transfusion but how many people do that?
I think if there is an option to donate cord blood that is the way to go. That way even if you don't need it, you could be helping someone else. : )
if blood from strangers is ok then cord blood/stem cells from strangers should be ok too.

[spade22]

-The "current" rate of annual maintenance may currently be $125.  This has no bearing on what future costs may be.  If you look at the cost of gas increase in the last 15 years you will find the price has sky-rocketed well above that of inflation.  There is no way of predicting what will happen to the annual maintenance fee at cord blood storage facilities.

-One UNIT of cord blood (the amount obtained from the umbilical cord) typically only contains enough stem cells to treat an individual weighing 100 pounds or less.  Any individual weighing more than said amount would need to supplement w/ cord blood from an additional source in order for the transplant to be beneficial.

-While I do not have statistical information on the odds of a family member requiring the use of cord blood, the odds of obtaining a match between siblings in a given family is only 25% - this number sky rockets to 75% within a donor registry.  Again, bare in mind that even if a family member is compatible with a family members cord blood if they weigh over 100 pounds the sole use of that cord blood will not be effective.

-A number of the more "common" diseases that are treated with cord blood likely have a genetic basis, for example childhood leukemia.  In this case, treating that individual with their own cord blood will likely be inappropriate (reemergence of the disease).

-The numbers I mentioned above are from reputable sources.... they too are not  "made up".  If you could supply references for your quotation that would be much appreciated.

-Clearly, there are pros and cons to banking cord blood which must be weighed out by  carefully by anyone considering this option.  However, I do feel strongly that if someone does not wish to bank their child's cord blood that they consider donation if that option is available.  Finally, as you say science is making leaps and bounds.  No doubt, harvesting stem cells which are found in other parts of ones body will be a viable option in the not to distant future.

[Shannon125]

I agree with you about harvesting stem cells from other parts of the body and in the future I would consider this as well. As I mentioned, I was offering my opinion to this woman based on research I have done on my own regarding cord blood banking. I also mentioned you too are entitled to your opinion as well. I don't know what the hositility in trying to prove me wrong is all about but you need to settle down. You have your knowledge on the subject and I too have mine. I am not forcing you to bank your child's blood by any means however it seems you are strongly trying to contradict my research for whatever reason. Yes there are pros and cons, as there are with anything. Regardless of those cons, it is a decision I have chosen to make with my husband. It is my money and I will spend it how I see fit. You however have chosen not to and that is fine. I have offered this woman the knowledge I have on the subject for her own benefit and she in turn can make her own decision. You as well have offered this woman important knowledge but yet you seem to have directed some sense of anger or need to dispute me in this knowledge you offer. The only thing I did initially direct towards you was that I didn't think it was all about profit. So as I said before, I am not trying to argue with you so you don't need to continue this need to dispute me. We are both smart individuals with a lot of knowledge and instead of wasting your time trying to make yourself come out on top, just spend it giving the original poster the information without a sense of hostility. We can agree to disagree. And finally, you as well have posted facts on this subject but I, being secure in my knowledge, do not need you to supply your references. With all of the knowledge you have, you should know my references. So as I stated multiple times before, this is not an argument, so why waste your time trying to make it one? This is not the place for arguments, we are all here to help others and to receive advice ourselves. I truly hope you have a wonderful pregnancy.

[laznacko]

I agree with you. I`m a MD and I realise how much is that important and that we owe that to our childrens. But I live in a country where there aren`t public banks. We have just private banks. I know that 3000 $ aren`t so much for that technology but my salaIry is very small (500$ /month). And my husband doesn`t have a job. That`s why we can`t afford that and I feel very very bad.

[Shannon125]

Well I think you shouldn't feel bad at all. I didn't even realize that you were from another country. In which case, the prices I mentioned to you do not apply. It is very expensive and probably more than most people could afford. Honestly, you shouldn't feel bad about it at all. I hope I didn't make you feel bad. There are many many families out there who cannot afford to do so, as you see just in this posting, there are women who cannot afford it. Also, even spade22, whom I believe also has a background in sciene is not for doing it; so again don't feel bad about it. I am sure regardless of your financial means or ability to invest in this service, you will be a great mother to your child and I hope you know that.

[laznacko]

Thanks for your post ladies. I just wanted to know how many of us in this forum can afford this and I think they are happy. For me is a big damage to miss this opportunity in 21 centure. And I feel very bad and angry because I can`t afford that. If something happens to my child in future i can`t forgive that to my self.
We are here to give support and to exchange knowledge.

[spade22]

"I don't know what the hositility in trying to prove me wrong is all about but you need to settle down"

I'm sorry if you consider me providing facts which relate to statements you have made previously as me being "hostile" toward you and am quite surprised you feel this way.   Your statement "I am a research scientist and perhaps understand a little more clearly the benefits of having it banked." could also be construed as being "hostile".

"....instead of wasting your time trying to make yourself come out on top, just spend it giving the original poster the information without a sense of hostility"

My last post provided a list of facts regarding the use of stem cells.  How is this being hostile or "coming out on top"?


"....I, being secure in my knowledge, do not need you to supply your references"

I  would appreciate links to your references for my own benefit.  The numbers you and I provided are not consistent so it would be nice to read the literature which you quoted from so that I might understand where these inconsistencies may arise and so that I may be more informed in the future.

[spade22]

I also do not have the means to afford to bank my babies stem cells....

If you feel very strongly about doing this, is getting  a loan or paying for the banking in installments (as mentioned by Shannon) an option for you?