What is cord blood and what are the benefits of cord blood banking?
• The blood that remains in your baby’s umbilical cord after it has been cut is called cord blood which is rich in stem cells. These valuable cells which are genetically unique to your baby and family, can only be collected in the minutes after your baby’s birth. • Preserving your newborn’s stem cells is called cord blood banking and allows you to have your baby’s cord blood saved for potential medical uses to treat life-threatening diseases. If you do not choose to bank your baby’s cord blood, it will be discarded after birth. • You have only one chance to save your baby’s cord blood for your family since it can only be collected immediately after birth. • Many expectant families choose to bank their baby’s cord blood for peace of mind, knowing that stem cells can be lifesaving to their baby and family. • Saving your baby’s cord blood is important since using your own family’s cord blood, if needed, has been shown to have significant advantages compared to using cord blood from an unr
