Choosing a cord blood bank can be difficult because there are a lot of options and it’s hard to know by a name or location whether or not you should go with a specific bank. There are some things that you can look at to help make the process a bit easier, so that you can make arrangements before the birth to have the cord blood collected and stored in the facility of your choice.
Accreditation
Accreditation is probably one of the most important aspects of your ability to choose one bank over another. Any bank that you even consider using needs to be accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. Many banks will state that they are in the process of becoming accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks, but that shouldn’t be enough to get you to use that bank. Any blood bank that you choose should be fully accredited at the time you inquire with them.
Financial Stability
Financial stability is something that you need to consider when choosing which blood bank you’ll store your child’s umbilical blood in. Asking the company for financial information is well within your rights, because you want to be sure that the company will have the financial backing to be around when you need them in five years, ten years, or even twenty five years from now. Many umbilical blood storage banks go out of business because it’s an expensive business. When these banks go out of business, what happens to your child’s cord blood may be compromised.
The Use of Cryovials
When you choose an umbilical cord blood storage facility, you’ll want to choose one that will allow you to use cryovials instead of blood bags. It’s been shown that blood bags are prone to splitting and cracking over long periods of cryopreservation. Storing in cryovials will also give you the opportunity to break the umbilical blood up into several vials, easing multiple use if it’s needed.
Controlled Rate Freezing
Controlled rate freezing is something that you should look at when you are considering an umbilical storage bank. Controlled rate freezing is a process in which the umbilical blood is frozen slowly so that the integrity of the cells is not compromised by freezing too quickly. The stem cells will be frozen slowly, over a period of time in controlled rate freezing, which is the best way to preserve the cells.
Choosing umbilical blood storage banks that have these features will make your search for the right bank much easier. It may seem like a lot to inquire about, but it’s better to do the work now than to end up with stem cells that will not provide the help that you need, when you need help the most. Choosing the right umbilical cord blood bank isn’t always the easiest process, but it’s worth it to protect what is the best type of protection plan you can have.
