Misconceptions about Stem Cell Storage – Something you may have heard about is stem cell banking, stem cell storage or cord blood banking. You may have also heard a lot of the common misconceptions that surround it. Today we aim to clean up some of the misconceptions and provide some information on cord blood/stem cell banking. Read on to find out more.
Misconceptions about Stem Cell Storage
1. It’s an Invasive Procedure
This is completely incorrect. This may stem from the fact that the parent will need to provide a blood sample alongside the rest of the collection kit. However, the process of collecting the cord blood, cord tissue and, if chosen placenta, is completely non-invasive.
A specially trained phlebotomist will wait in another room during the birth, wait until the cord is cut and the placenta has been delivered, and then do the collection. This also happens in another room. At no point will the collection interfere with your birth or your birth plan. All you have to do is focus on you and bubba.
2. You Can’t do Delayed or Optimal Cord Clamping
Cord blood collection is entirely compatible with delayed and optimal cord clamping. Umbilical cord stem cell collection will work with pretty much anything in your birth plan.
There is a common misconception that cord blood collection cannot work with delayed clamping or that you have to choose one or the other. It is not true. The only thing to note for the volume of blood collected might be affected but this doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get a good sample or won’t get to store it. Cells4Life, a cord blood bank in the UK, has technology that can still get a good amount of stem cells even from a smaller sample.
So as you can see, you can do what you want. Your birth plan, your rules.
3. All the Treatments are Experimental
There are always clinical trials being done to unlock the potential of stem cells. This is true. Stem cells could be used in the future to treat many things. However, the idea that all treatments that use stem cells are experiments isn’t true.
Currently, worldwide there are around 80 conditions that can be treated using the stem cells found in the cord blood and cord tissue. These include blood conditions like leukaemia and anaemia and other conditions such as diabetes.
Is it worth it?
This is your choice. The safety net that is provided for you and your family by storing your baby’s cord blood is amazing. Your baby will of course have access to a 100% biological match should they need it for treatments. Better yet it could also be used to help other members of the family including the parents. Siblings will have the biggest benefit as they will also have a chance of being a 100% match.
The private storage of your baby’s cord blood is a paid service and can be quite pricey. So, it is up to you whether you believe it worth it.
If you have any thoughts on stem cell storage we’d love to hear them
*Collaborative post
Debz Louise is a plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire. Behind many nationwide campaigns such as #WeaAreTheThey & winner of Best Blogger at the UK Plus Size Awards, she talkas about life as a plus-size 40-something woman in South Yorkshire.
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