Find the Best Cord Blood Banking in Green Bay, WI

Is cord blood banking worth it?

Cord blood banking is the collection and storage of blood and tissue from the umbilical cord. Blood banks in Green Bay cryogenically the stem cells they contain for future medical use. There are several diseases whose treatment uses these umbilical stem cells, and research is ongoing to find more benefits.

Green Bay residents may never have a use for these stem cells, but many people consider private cord blood banking worth the cost just in case. Private cord blood banking preserves your samples for when you or your loved ones need them most.

Many people in Green Bay outside of your family might need your cord blood stem cells as well. Donating to public cord blood banks helps people that don’t have the option of saving umbilical blood and tissue.

Scientists also need cord blood for clinical trials and medical research. Donating your cord blood and tissue in Green Bay helps make medical advances. In the future, cord blood could even help to treat a wider variety of prevalent diseases, including heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in Wisconsin.

Cord blood banking pros and cons

Collecting samples from the placenta and umbilical cord blood and tissue is painless for both the mother and baby. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration has approved cord blood stem cells for use in treating specific diseases, including:

• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Sickle cell anemia
• Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome

However, the cost of private cord blood banking in Green Bay makes it unaffordable for some and a waste of money for others. Ideally, you and your family will never have a need for these stem cells, but, even if you or a loved one does fall ill, there’s no guarantee stem cells will be an effective treatment. Private cord blood banking also limits the public availability of these stem cells in Green Bay, which is especially impactful if you have rare genetics.

How is cord blood stored?

The FDA regulates cord blood banking, and, while not strictly necessary, some cord blood banks in Green Bay also have accreditation from the AABB or Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy to demonstrate their commitment to safety and professionalism.

Your obstetrician or hospital staff must collect cord blood within 15 minutes of delivery by placing clamps on both ends of the umbilical cord and using a syringe to extract the cord blood. This is then delivered to your chosen cord blood bank. Your cord blood bank will provide more specific instructions in advance for you and your health care provider in Green Bay.

How much does cord blood banking cost in Green Bay?

Private blood banks, where your umbilical cord blood is stored exclusively for your needs, charge $1,000 - $3,500 initially. There is also an annual storage fee of $100 - $300. Payment plans are often available, though you may get a lower price by paying upfront.

Donating cord blood to a public blood bank is free. A public blood bank in Green Bay may use your cord blood for any matching patient who needs it or medical researchers. While it is unlikely your cord blood would be available for your use later on, by contributing to a public bank, you help a communal effort to make stem cell treatments available to those that need them.

Who can use cord blood?

The mother and child can use the stem cells harvested from their cord blood, and there is an increased likelihood it will also be a match for immediate family members.

Otherwise, similar to any other transplant or transfusion, the recipient needs to be a genetic match. The good news is that stem cells from cord blood are about half as likely to be rejected as stem cells from adult bone marrow.