Cord Blood Registries

Cord blood banks and registries collect, transport, treat, and store your newborn's umbilical cord blood for the day when you or a member of your family needs a transplant of precious, genetically matched stem cells. These cells can be vital to recovery from cancer treatment or for other conditions, including Juvenile Leukemia, Hodgkin's Disease, Sickle-cell anemia, and congenital immune system disorders.

Cord Blood Banking Made Simple

Once you enroll with a cord blood bank, the registry sends pertinent collection information and supplies to your physician. Within fifteen minutes of your infant's arrival, the doctor collects blood from the umbilical tube and hands it off to a special cord bank courier. The bank processes the blood, and then stores it in cryo-preservation bags at minus 196 degrees Celsius in systems that are monitored 24 hours a day, all year-round. Some banks have reported that samples have remained viable for more than 15 years now, and are expected to remain secure for longer storage.

Getting to the Bottom Line

The collection, preparation, and one-year storage of umbilical cord blood can cost between $1,500 and $2,000, including courier charges. Additional storage runs about $120 a year after the initial year, with payment plans available at most cord blood banks. However, the expense may be small in perspective when compared with the tens of thousands of dollars it can cost if you or a family member suddenly needs stem cells from a public cord blood bank. If someone in your family needs a transplant, your private cord blood bank contacts your physician to schedule delivery of retrieved cord blood cells. The bank will test cells for viability and then transfer them to your hospital.