Stepping into parenthood comes with many responsibilities as you want to provide the best care for your newborn. Storing your child’s cord blood could be a crucial step in ensuring his health and wellness in the future. However, it is essential to choose a capable cord blood bank with the highest standards for dealing and storing your baby’s cord blood.

The cord blood bank is a medical service, and its efficacy will depend on its ability to deliver as and when the need arises. All cord blood banks have to mandatorily pass the FDA regulation. However, every private cord blood bank differs in its practices and standards. This can make it extremely difficult for new parents to choose reliable private cord blood banks.

Here is a list of few things that you must look for before choosing a private cord blood bank for your baby.

1.  Experience

The first thing that you must check when choosing a private cord blood bank is their experience. The experience for a cord blood bank is not measured in years.

The number of cord blood units released by the bank for transplant can indicate their experience and capability in providing a reliable solution for your child’s future medical needs.

However, it is equally important to look for the number of years a cord blood bank has been in business. Dealing with cord blood for years provides them with expertise and helps them combat any obstacles in the storage and handling of cord blood.

Also, the number of units stored by a cord blood bank can reflect their ability to preserve and deal with your baby’s stem cells.

2.  Temperature

Over time, the quality of stem cells may degrade and exposure to high temperature can even risk their viability for transfusion. Hence, a private cord blood bank must ensure adequate temperature for storing your child’s cord blood units.

Ensure that the material and insulation used for the storing kit maintains an optimum temperature for the stem cells.

This concern is also applicable to the transportation of stem cells. Shipping, movement, and extreme weather conditions can put your child’s stem cells at risk. Hence it is crucial to ensure that the private cord blood bank follows the highest standards for the transportation of stem cells.

3.  Stability

Another factor to look for is whether or not your cord blood bank has a laboratory. Banks with their laboratory are stable as compared to those who frequently change their laboratory partners. Frequent changes will require numerous transportations, which makes the cord blood units susceptible to mishandling.

4.  License and accreditation

As we mentioned earlier, all cord blood banks are required to register with FDA. However, only seven banks are FDA licensed, which requires adherence to stricter Biological License Application standards.

Licensing and accreditation also reveal the quality standards and guidelines followed by the private cord blood bank. AABB and FACT are two accreditation standards designed specifically for cord blood banks.

5.  Pricing

The cost of storing cord blood units can be high, especially when combined with all other expenses that come with parenthood. However, it is a proactive step for your child’s future medical needs.

Obtaining, storing, and preserving stem cells is a difficult and expensive process in itself. Hence, the prices for most cord blood banks are high. However, numerous private blood banks offer lucrative payment plans. These plans can help you ensure your baby’s future at affordable monthly rates.

These are some of the important factors that you must consider before choosing a private cord blood bank for your baby. These factors can simplify the process of choosing a cord blood bank and help you make an informed decision.