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Overview
Choosing to bank your baby's umbilical cord blood with ViaCord means you could potentially save the life of your child or another family member by making use of the stem cells found in cord blood. Stem cells harvested from cord blood have already been used to treat dozens of life-threatening diseases, and with more research, will surely successfully treat more illnesses.
HIstory
ViaCord was originally launched as a research firm studying collection, storage and processing of blood collected from the umbilical cords of babies. It has since evolved into a cord blood banking service, allowing parents of newborns to preserve their babies' own stem cells should it become medically necessary. ViaCord is recognized as having one of the most highly-rated stem cell preservation services.
Significance
The collection and use of stem cells has been highly controversial in the past decade. Cord blood is rich in stem cells which have the ability to replace, repair and treat damaged cells in the human body. Since umbilical cords have no use after babies are born, there is no controversy surrounding their post-natal uses. Cord blood stem cells have helped treat over 70 diseases and ViaCord continues to research how cord blood can be used to treat immune system disorders.
Benefits
Banking cord blood with ViaCord can be expensive for most families. But for those with medical concerns such as type I diabetes, cerebral palsy or even stroke, banking cord blood could be worth every penny. It can act as a safety net should an unexpected medical crisis occur. And for some, it offers hope that someday a loved one's condition may be treatable with his own cord blood.
Collection
Collecting cord blood doesn't interfere with pregnancy, delivery or post-natal care. After the baby's birth, he is separated from his umbilical cord as all babies are. Before the delivery of the placenta, a section of umbilical cord is cleaned and prepared. A needle is inserted into the umbilical vein and the blood is drained into a blood bag until it stops on its own. The collection process is then complete and the bag is sealed and labeled. The process is non-invasive, takes less than 5 minutes and there is absolutely no pain caused to mother or child.
Costs
ViaCord's services cost $2,070 plus an annual $125 storage fee, and pricing is subject to change. Different pricing packages and payment methods are available. Annual storage fees are collected in the month of the child's birth. Prepayment options allow ViaCord clients to pay for 20 years or more of storage ahead of time. If the client wishes to retrieve her cord blood, there are additional shipping and preparation charges. Only some insurance plans cover collection, storage and shipment of cord blood.
