“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Dad Central for the Cord Blood Registry. I received a
promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

In many cultures, the umbilical cord is treated with a great deal of respect and reverence. Developing and growing alongside a baby, the umbilical cord is a fairly small but incredibly important part of the story of pregnancy and birth. There are many options for how to handle the cord after birth, but after the long and complicated process of conception, pregnancy, labor, and delivery, one should take a moment to think about the way a woman’s body is so perfectly designed for this amazing process.

As any adult with a bellybutton knows, the umbilical cord is the only lifeline for the developing baby, and its arteries and veins contain the same sort of blood cells (reds, whites, and platelets) as the mother. In addition, umbilical cord blood contains hematopoetic stem cells, the undeveloped precursors of mature blood cells. These stem cells that can be used to treat over 80 conditions and diseases, including cancer, certain autism, metabolic disorders, blood diseases like sickle cell anemia, and immune deficiencies. Although only a small percentage of families opt for cord blood banking, its popularity have grown significantly over the last 20 years.

What is cord blood banking?    

Cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells for potential medical use.

Is there any risk to the mother or baby in the procedure to save the umbilical cord blood?

No. There is no risk to the mother or the baby. After the birth of the child, the doctor will simply clamp and cut the baby’s umbilical cord. The blood remaining in the umbilical cord will then be harvested into the collection bag. Because this is done after childbirth, it is entirely painless to the baby and the mother. The total collection time is less than 5 minutes and is neither impeded or complicated by cesarean or natural childbirth.

Did you know that there is bipartian legislation for cord blood banking services?

Specifically, the Family Cord Blood Banking Act will allow expectant parents to use tax-free dollars to pay for cord blood banking services through Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA), Flex Spending Accounts (FSA) and the medical expenses tax deduction. Unlike other medical therapies that can be acquired at any time, the very nature of cord blood requires that it be processed and stored before medical use. Consequently, cord blood banking is a medical expense even though the use of these cells may not occur until later. Finally, the Family Cord Blood Banking Act will allow more Americans to recognize the long-term healthcare benefits of having a source of their own genetically unique stem cells stored for future use.

If you think this is a good fit for you and your family, please consider using the Cord Blood Registry.  To sweeten the deal, CBR is offering a special $200 discount for all of my loyal readers who visit their site AND completes an information request. Hell, that’s money (and cord blood) in the BANK! Visit  www.cordbankingbasics.com

About Cord Blood Registry
Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®) is the world’s largest newborn stem cell company. Founded in 1992, CBR is entrusted by parents with storing more than 500,000 cord blood and cord tissue units. The company is pioneering FDA-regulated clinical trials through partnerships with leading medical institutions exploring the use of newborn stem cells to treat a variety of serious conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury. For more information, visit http://www.cordblood.com or visit @cordblood on Twitter.