If you are a new mother or expecting a new baby , you may have heard of cord blood banking. The idea that cord blood, which is collected after a baby is born, can be used to treat serious illnesses is very promising, isn't it? But what exactly is this? How much does it cost? How relevant is this to us in Sri Lanka? Let's talk about it in simple terms.
What is cord blood? Why is it valuable?
Simply put, umbilical cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after the baby is born. This is usually disposed of as medical waste.
But this blood is very special. Because it is very rich in stem cells . Think of these stem cells as 'master cells' that can become any type of cell in our body. It's like a blank canvas, you can draw any picture. These cells can develop into anything, from blood cells to brain cells to heart muscle cells.
Because of this value, these stem cells can be transplanted in the same way as bone marrow transplants are used to treat cancers like leukemia , blood diseases like thalassemia , and many other genetic diseases.
Two types of blood banking: public and private
There are two main ways to store cord blood in the world. They are public banks and private banks. There is a big difference between the two.
| Feature | Public Banks | Private Banks |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | A donation. Anyone who wants it can use it (if it fits). | Use only for your child or family. |
| Cost | There is no cost to you for donating. | It costs a lot of money to collect and process and an annual storage fee. |
| Right | After you donate, ownership of the blood sample passes to the bank. | The ownership of the blood sample belongs entirely to you and your family. |
| Availability | Very limited. There is still no well-established public banking system in Sri Lanka. | This service is provided by some private institutions in Sri Lanka. |
Although public banks are a great concept, they are very expensive to set up and operate, so there are only a limited number of them in the world. That's why many people turn to private banking.
Is it really worth depositing blood in a private bank?
Private banks call this service " biological insurance." That is, you secure a valuable asset today that you can use if your child or a family member develops a serious illness in the future. When you hear this, any parent thinks, "Oh yes, I want to do this for my child."
But let's look at the statistics for a moment. How likely is it that a child will actually need their own cord blood?
According to reputable organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the chance of a child needing their own stem cells is extremely low, between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 200,000.
There is a main reason for this. Imagine a child has a genetic disease (e.g. thalassemia) or a type of leukemia that is present at birth. Then the child's cord blood also contains those diseased genes or cells. So that blood cannot be used to treat the same child again . It is like trying to repair a car using a broken spare part.
So who are these private banks really beneficial to?
This is the most important part of this article. While this is of little use to the average healthy family, in some special cases it can be life-saving.
Private cord blood banking is highly recommended in cases where another child in the family has a disease that can be cured with a stem cell transplant.
Let's explain this a little more. Imagine that the eldest child in your family has a disease like thalassemia or leukemia . He needs a stem cell transplant to treat him. At this point, if the umbilical cord blood of a healthy newborn baby is collected and stored, it can be matched and transplanted into the sick sibling. The probability of a sibling's cells matching is much higher than that of a stranger.
Simply put, you are investing in a family member who already has a medical condition, rather than a newborn baby. If you have a family history of this condition, it is best to discuss this with your doctor and make a decision based on his or her advice.
What diseases are currently being treated with stem cells?
Currently, umbilical cord stem cells have been successfully used to treat more than 75 diseases around the world. The main ones are:
- Various types of blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma .
- Genetic diseases of red blood cells, such as Thalassemia and Sickle-Cell Anemia .
- Bone marrow failure syndromes.
- Some genetic metabolic diseases, such as Krabbe's disease .
- Some severe immunodeficiencies.
In addition, research is being conducted on the use of stem cells for conditions such as breast cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and heart disease. However, it is important to remember that these are still in the research stage .
Take-Home Message
- Umbilical cord blood is a valuable resource rich in stem cells that can treat many serious diseases.
- Although there are two ways to store this, public (donation) and private (for your family), the most popular in Sri Lanka is the private banking service.
- The chance that a child from a normal, healthy family will need their own cord blood is very low, so this is not routinely recommended.
- Most importantly: If another child in your family has a disease that can be cured with a stem cell transplant, such as thalassemia or leukemia, banking the newborn's cord blood can be a very valuable decision.
- This is a costly and complex decision. Therefore, do not make decisions based on advertisements or what others say, but always discuss this carefully with your doctor and make the decision that best suits your family's needs.
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