About Cord Blood Donation

Cord-blood donation is not without controversy. Many people wonder whether extracting blood from a newborn's umbilical cord is harmful to him. However, many people---doctors included---advocate cord blood donation at public banks to reserve this blood for stem-cell treatments. Furthermore, people attest that donating cord blood to others may save many lives. They compare it to bone-marrow transplants in its effectiveness.

The proponents of cord-blood banking argue for the medical benefits of harvesting this blood, as it is rich in stem cells that generate both red and white blood cells. Therefore, these cells can be donated to people suffering from blood and immune-related diseases, including certain cancers. The critics state that these benefits are precisely why cord-blood banking is negative---because the newborn who is deprived of these cells may suffer for it. They argue that the newborn is drained of half of her total blood volume for cord-blood banking.

Some parents who want to donate cord blood believe that private banks are a more viable option. In fact, many doctors argue against this because private banks are not as regulated as public banks. Furthermore, private banks usually charge donation fees, some of which are as much as $2,000. On the other hand, donating to public banks typically calls for no cost to the donor. Many people argue whether cord-blood banking is necessary for people, especially for families who have a clean health history. Some organizations state that the chances are 1 in 20,000 that a child or family member will ever need the saved cord blood. However, other organizations recommend that families with histories of certain cancers or blood disorders save cord blood. Yet, many doctors counter that saving one's own cord blood is counterintuitive. They claim that the donated blood may genetically contain diseased cells, which would be of no help to the afflicted family member.

Cord blood is one of the richest sources of stem cells. Furthermore, the procedure of collecting umbilical blood is painless to the infant, because blood is collected from the umbilical cord after the cord has been cut. Moreover, infants who have undergone the procedure have manifested no developmental difficulties---even though it is important to note that this procedure is still fairly new, and as yet only relatively few infants have undergone it. In comparison with embryonic stem-cell treatment, cord-blood donation is a less divisive issue because it does not physically harm the baby.

Many health organizations have criticized private banks for exaggerating the necessity of storing cord blood. Even though cord blood is a wise preventative measure, it incurs high expenses that may not be necessary if the family has a low risk for stem cell-related illnesses. Some private banks attest that storing cord blood is akin to reserving another immune system. This claim, many experts agree, exaggerates cord-blood treatment because no treatment is a magic bullet.

Many doctors concur that donating cord blood to a public bank is great prevention against serious illness. Using a public bank does not usually incur as much expense as does a private bank, and a public bank stores cord blood of all types that can go to millions of people. That is, even though your baby's cord blood may go to another person, you will most likely find a cord-blood match if you or a loved one needs stem-cell treatment. In addition, most doctors use cord blood that has come from public banks.