The lack of adequate information has led hundreds of thousands of parents to believe that umbilical cord freezing is the Holy Grail that will help protect their children from disease.
Umbilical cord blood and tissue, once discarded as waste at the birth of the baby, is now considered a repository of stem cells with the building blocks of regenerative medicine. This has led almost all other future parents to proceed with freezing their children’s umbilical cord in private banks for years in exchange for paying a huge amount of money, but without really knowing that in 95% of cases, they are useless.
Umbilical cord frostbite out of fear
What works in favor of cord blood banks is the fear factor. Intended parents are vulnerable and more likely to fall prey to such claims that promise to use stem cells as a quick fix for everything from anti-aging dermatological treatments to curing degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and cerebral palsy.
The truth is that cord blood stem cells today can only cure blood-related diseases. Although there is a great deal of research around the world on all types of cures, these developments should be viewed as a future hope, not a sure cure at this time.
Types of umbilical cord freeze bank
There are two types of umbilical cord blood banks: the one that stores a baby’s blood for use and others that make the blood available to whoever needs it, making the baby’s blood available to other people and vice versa. . The most common practice is the private umbilical cord freezing bank, but in most blood-related disorders, specialists recommend transplantation of umbilical cord blood to another person (allogeneic) and not to one’s own (anthology) . Actually, the purpose in the case of a genetic disorder is not reliable, as the blood from the umbilical cord of one baby might not be useful, but the umbilical cord can be used to save the life of another baby.
Act smart
So the most advisable action for parents is to deposit their baby’s umbilical cord in a common bank where it can be used to save someone’s life. Similarly, freezing another baby’s umbilical cord could protect another little one in the same way that it happens in the case of a regular blood bank, where you donate to save a life.
Private storage of umbilical cord stem cells is advisable when there is an older child or family member with a condition treatable with these cells , and the mother is expecting a baby soon. Therefore, the cost cannot be justified as there is little chance that a child will be able to use their umbilical cord blood.
