How Many Years Can a Baby's Cord Blood Be Saved?

The first successful cord blood transplant was used to regenerate blood and immune cells. The procedure took place in 1988 on a 6-year-old boy who had a blood disorder called Fanconi's Anemia. Soon after, public and private cord blood banking institutions have rapidly developed, creating a wave of popularity in favor of banking baby's cord blood. As of 2008, more than 8,000 people have benefited from medical procedures that utilized the stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

There are two types of blood cord storage. Private blood cord storage allows families to pay fees to store their child's cord blood for private use should a medical situation arise requiring the use of stem cells. Families may also choose to donate cord blood to public cord banking facilities to provide opportunities for research and use by other children in need of stem cell treatments.

Cord blood banking is not cheap. Average costs include $1,500 starter fees and $100 yearly maintenance fees for storage. Health plans do not cover the costs of storing cord blood and if a typical storage lasts an average of 15 years, families can expect to spend at least $1,500 throughout the duration of storage. Storing cord blood is a procedure and process that must be completed before the birth of your child. If you decide to store your child's cord blood, you will also be responsible for carrying the storage kit with you to the hospital upon the delivery of your child.

Personal stem cells are not used to treat diseases and doctors do not recommend storing cord blood cells for the sole purpose of use for the donor child's health. Siblings are most often treated with cord blood cells and in most situations, adults require too much blood cells for use. Treatment with the use of stored cord blood cells is is limited to only diseases that affect the body's blood cells. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents should only store cord blood cells if your family has a history of diseases such as Hodgkin's lymphoma, sickle cell disease or leukemia that would benefit from stem cell transplants.

The process of cord blood storage is virtually painless for both child and mother. By storing your baby's cord blood, stem cell transplants can be used to grow new bone marrow and other tissues which in certain cases can by life saving for family members. With a 15-year span of storage, families are assured a positive medical option if faced with blood cell diseases. Mothers who must undergo Cesarean deliveries may also store their baby's cord blood.