Should You Bank Your Childs Cord Blood When Adopting?
Family medical history is one of the greatest concerns for parents pursuing private adoption or surrogacy and often the biggest reason parents choose to bank their child’s stem cells.
When a child is diagnosed with a life-changing condition such as a bone marrow cancer, tumor, or lymphomas, doctors often look to stem cell donor treatments. But when a child is adopted or from a donor embryo, finding a matching relative may not be possible. Because cord blood stem cells contain the exact DNA of the child, using the child’s own stem cells in treatment is a highly effective way to ensure a match.
Your Child’s Own Stem Cells Could Help Treat Them
Today, there are hundreds of clinical trials and FDA-approved treatments using autologous (your own stem cells) treatment methods, including:
- Autism
- Apraxia2
- Cerebral Palsy
- Certain Bone Marrow Cancers (FDA-Approved)
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Hearing Loss
- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (FDA-Approved)
- Neuro, Medullo, or Retinoblastoma Tumors (FDA-Approved)
- And More
Things to Remember When Choosing to Bank Cord Blood and Adopting or Using a Surrogate
Families making the decision to bank cord blood for their future adoptive or surrogate-born child should keep in mind:
Birth Mother/Surrogate Agreement: Federal laws and regulations require the birth mother or carrier to provide written and signed consent for the cord blood and/or tissue collection. The surrogate’s maternal health questionnaire also needs to be completed. Your adoption or surrogacy agency should be able to help facilitate communication between all parties so that required all documentation can be signed ahead of time.
Be Prepared for the Unexpected: A collection kit will be sent from the cord blood bank to the parents for the hospital to collect the cord blood and tissue. If you are planning to adopt, plan ahead. Many adoptive families aren’t matched with a birth mother until the last trimester or hours before the birth. Having a collection kit on hand could make the difference between collecting or not collecting the child’s life-saving stem cells.
When a family makes the decision to store their child’s stem cells, they are committing to protect their child’s health and future. If you are ready to safeguard your child’s health and explore your stem cell storage options, our team is ready to help.
References
- Weiss, Mark L, and Deryl L Troyer. “Stem cells in the umbilical cord.” Stem cell reviews vol. 2,2 (2006): 155-62. doi:10.1007/s12015-006-0022-y
- Parent’s Guide to Duke’s research and Expanded Access program of cord blood therapies for neurodevelopmental Disorders. (n.d.).
The views, statements, and pricing expressed are deemed reliable as of the published date. Articles may not reflect current pricing, offerings, or recent innovations.
