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Currently there are 8 bone marrow failures that can be treated with cord blood and an additional one that is currentyly in Clin Trials. There are cord banks. Just be sure to do the research ahead of time with a reputable cord bank. http://www.cordblood.com/cord_blood_banking_with_cbr/banking/diseases_treated.asp?fbid=ueK3QLBd_S7

> The blood only keeps for ten years

Not true. Cord blood stem cells can be stored indefinitely:
The New York State Health Department Guidelines for cord blood banking state that umbilical stem cells can be stored indefinitely under liquid nitrogen. The policy states, "There is no evidence at present that cells stored at -196C in an undisturbed manner lose either in-vitro determined viability or biologic activity. Therefore, at the current time, no expiration date need be assigned to cord blood stored continuously under liquid nitrogen." Current data reflects that cord blood cells that have been stored for fifteen years have the same composition as they did at the time of storage.(3) All science involving cryogenic storage of cells also indicates that the cells should remain viable indefinitely.

> the amount of blood in one umbilical cord isn't enough to treat an adult with

Also not true. The cord blood CAN be used by adults:
To date, umbilical cord blood has been used in more than 8,000 transplants for children and adults. In many cases, the cord blood was used by the baby's sibling. Other transplants have occurred for the newborn himself, the newborn's mother, father, and the newborn's cousin.

Some other poster said they couldn't be used for much, but CBR lists close to 100 diseases you can use cord blood treatments for.

And on the topic of the AAP article about why private banking is bad, this is from the AAP site:
. What is the difference between private cord blood banking and public cord blood banking?

Private cord blood banking is storing the baby's cord blood for his/her own future use or use for a family member should the need arise. Alternatively, public cord blood banking, or donating, means that the baby's cord blood is stored in a cord blood bank and is available to anyone in need of a transplant or may be used research purposes.

So the big difference is that if you donate it to a public bank, you might not get it back. Versus if you store it privately, it is yours forever.

Don't blame the private banks for the lack of cord blood in the public ones. There would be plenty of cord blood to go around if the hospitals banked it themselves:
Currently, only a small percentage of the four million births every year in the U.S. result in family-banked cord blood, and even if that percentage increases, there will always be a generous cord blood supply for the public banks-if funding is available. More than 90 percent of families do not have access to a public cord blood bank that accepts donations. Other factors also significantly limit cord blood donation eligibility, such as maternal exposure to viruses, tattoos, and international travel. In fact, recent reports from public banks convey that only 30 percent of donated cord blood ends up being banked. The limited cord blood supply in public banks is 100 percent due to lack of funding-not private banks.

Here are the options that I would say you base your decision on:
1. Do you have the funds?
2. If your kid gets sick later in life and you didn't have it, will you be ok or will you freak out and obsess over not having banked it?
3. Are you ok with the odds that your kid won't get sick? The odds are that you WON'T need it, so if you're not a #2, then you will probably be ok.
4. What's your opinion on stem cell research? If you think it's bad, then pay for your own private stem cell storage. Otherwise vote YES on laws making it legal for states to do stem cell research so the hospitals a

> The blood only keeps for ten years

Not true. Cord blood stem cells can be stored indefinitely:
The New York State Health Department Guidelines for cord blood banking state that umbilical stem cells can be stored indefinitely under liquid nitrogen. The policy states, "There is no evidence at present that cells stored at -196C in an undisturbed manner lose either in-vitro determined viability or biologic activity. Therefore, at the current time, no expiration date need be assigned to cord blood stored continuously under liquid nitrogen." Current data reflects that cord blood cells that have been stored for fifteen years have the same composition as they did at the time of storage.(3) All science involving cryogenic storage of cells also indicates that the cells should remain viable indefinitely.

> the amount of blood in one umbilical cord isn't enough to treat an adult with

Also not true. The cord blood CAN be used by adults:
To date, umbilical cord blood has been used in more than 8,000 transplants for children and adults. In many cases, the cord blood was used by the baby's sibling. Other transplants have occurred for the newborn himself, the newborn's mother, father, and the newborn's cousin.

Some other poster said they couldn't be used for much, but CBR lists close to 100 diseases you can use cord blood treatments for.

And on the topic of the AAP article about why private banking is bad, this is from the AAP site:
. What is the difference between private cord blood banking and public cord blood banking?

Private cord blood banking is storing the baby's cord blood for his/her own future use or use for a family member should the need arise. Alternatively, public cord blood banking, or donating, means that the baby's cord blood is stored in a cord blood bank and is available to anyone in need of a transplant or may be used research purposes.

So the big difference is that if you donate it to a public bank, you might not get it back. Versus if you store it privately, it is yours forever.

Don't blame the private banks for the lack of cord blood in the public ones. There would be plenty of cord blood to go around if the hospitals banked it themselves:
Currently, only a small percentage of the four million births every year in the U.S. result in family-banked cord blood, and even if that percentage increases, there will always be a generous cord blood supply for the public banks-if funding is available. More than 90 percent of families do not have access to a public cord blood bank that accepts donations. Other factors also significantly limit cord blood donation eligibility, such as maternal exposure to viruses, tattoos, and international travel. In fact, recent reports from public banks convey that only 30 percent of donated cord blood ends up being banked. The limited cord blood supply in public banks is 100 percent due to lack of funding-not private banks.

Here are the options that I would say you base your decision on:
1. Do you have the funds?
2. If your kid gets sick later in life and you didn't have it, will you be ok or will you freak out and obsess over not having banked it?
3. Are you ok with the odds that your kid won't get sick? The odds are that you WON'T need it, so if you're not a #2, then you will probably be ok.
4. What's your opinion on stem cell research? If you think it's bad, then pay for your own private stem cell storage. Otherwise vote YES on laws making it legal for states to do stem cell research so the hospitals a

> The blood only keeps for ten years

Not true. Cord blood stem cells can be stored indefinitely:
The New York State Health Department Guidelines for cord blood banking state that umbilical stem cells can be stored indefinitely under liquid nitrogen. The policy states, "There is no evidence at present that cells stored at -196C in an undisturbed manner lose either in-vitro determined viability or biologic activity. Therefore, at the current time, no expiration date need be assigned to cord blood stored continuously under liquid nitrogen." Current data reflects that cord blood cells that have been stored for fifteen years have the same composition as they did at the time of storage.(3) All science involving cryogenic storage of cells also indicates that the cells should remain viable indefinitely.

> the amount of blood in one umbilical cord isn't enough to treat an adult with

Also not true. The cord blood CAN be used by adults:
To date, umbilical cord blood has been used in more than 8,000 transplants for children and adults. In many cases, the cord blood was used by the baby's sibling. Other transplants have occurred for the newborn himself, the newborn's mother, father, and the newborn's cousin.

Some other poster said they couldn't be used for much, but CBR lists close to 100 diseases you can use cord blood treatments for.

And on the topic of the AAP article about why private banking is bad, this is from the AAP site:
. What is the difference between private cord blood banking and public cord blood banking?

Private cord blood banking is storing the baby's cord blood for his/her own future use or use for a family member should the need arise. Alternatively, public cord blood banking, or donating, means that the baby's cord blood is stored in a cord blood bank and is available to anyone in need of a transplant or may be used research purposes.

So the big difference is that if you donate it to a public bank, you might not get it back. Versus if you store it privately, it is yours forever.

Don't blame the private banks for the lack of cord blood in the public ones. There would be plenty of cord blood to go around if the hospitals banked it themselves:
Currently, only a small percentage of the four million births every year in the U.S. result in family-banked cord blood, and even if that percentage increases, there will always be a generous cord blood supply for the public banks-if funding is available. More than 90 percent of families do not have access to a public cord blood bank that accepts donations. Other factors also significantly limit cord blood donation eligibility, such as maternal exposure to viruses, tattoos, and international travel. In fact, recent reports from public banks convey that only 30 percent of donated cord blood ends up being banked. The limited cord blood supply in public banks is 100 percent due to lack of funding-not private banks.

Here are the options that I would say you base your decision on:
1. Do you have the funds?
2. If your kid gets sick later in life and you didn't have it, will you be ok or will you freak out and obsess over not having banked it?
3. Are you ok with the odds that your kid won't get sick? The odds are that you WON'T need it, so if you're not a #2, then you will probably be ok.
4. What's your opinion on stem cell research? If you think it's bad, then pay for your own private stem cell storage. Otherwise vote YES on laws making it legal for states to do stem cell research so the hospitals a

> The blood only keeps for ten years

Not true. Cord blood stem cells can be stored indefinitely:
The New York State Health Department Guidelines for cord blood banking state that umbilical stem cells can be stored indefinitely under liquid nitrogen. The policy states, "There is no evidence at present that cells stored at -196C in an undisturbed manner lose either in-vitro determined viability or biologic activity. Therefore, at the current time, no expiration date need be assigned to cord blood stored continuously under liquid nitrogen." Current data reflects that cord blood cells that have been stored for fifteen years have the same composition as they did at the time of storage.(3) All science involving cryogenic storage of cells also indicates that the cells should remain viable indefinitely.

> the amount of blood in one umbilical cord isn't enough to treat an adult with

Also not true. The cord blood CAN be used by adults:
To date, umbilical cord blood has been used in more than 8,000 transplants for children and adults. In many cases, the cord blood was used by the baby's sibling. Other transplants have occurred for the newborn himself, the newborn's mother, father, and the newborn's cousin.

Some other poster said they couldn't be used for much, but CBR lists close to 100 diseases you can use cord blood treatments for.

And on the topic of the AAP article about why private banking is bad, this is from the AAP site:
. What is the difference between private cord blood banking and public cord blood banking?

Private cord blood banking is storing the baby's cord blood for his/her own future use or use for a family member should the need arise. Alternatively, public cord blood banking, or donating, means that the baby's cord blood is stored in a cord blood bank and is available to anyone in need of a transplant or may be used research purposes.

So the big difference is that if you donate it to a public bank, you might not get it back. Versus if you store it privately, it is yours forever.

Don't blame the private banks for the lack of cord blood in the public ones. There would be plenty of cord blood to go around if the hospitals banked it themselves:
Currently, only a small percentage of the four million births every year in the U.S. result in family-banked cord blood, and even if that percentage increases, there will always be a generous cord blood supply for the public banks-if funding is available. More than 90 percent of families do not have access to a public cord blood bank that accepts donations. Other factors also significantly limit cord blood donation eligibility, such as maternal exposure to viruses, tattoos, and international travel. In fact, recent reports from public banks convey that only 30 percent of donated cord blood ends up being banked. The limited cord blood supply in public banks is 100 percent due to lack of funding-not private banks.

Here are the options that I would say you base your decision on:
1. Do you have the funds?
2. If your kid gets sick later in life and you didn't have it, will you be ok or will you freak out and obsess over not having banked it?
3. Are you ok with the odds that your kid won't get sick? The odds are that you WON'T need it, so if you're not a #2, then you will probably be ok.
4. What's your opinion on stem cell research? If you think it's bad, then pay for your own private stem cell storage. Otherwise vote YES on laws making it legal for states to do stem cell research so the hospitals a

Why not use adult stem cells? There also the cord blood research to add in, as well. So far, all the research I've been reading suggest these to be the best direction to take and such research is funded at the federal level. And as a bonus, has no real ethics baggage associated with it!

Assuming this works, everyone would have some of their own stem cells harvested when young, for use in the future

This woman is able to walk againis able to walk again after being paralyzed for 20 years due to an accident.

This boy was going to die before his 17th birthday from sickle cell anemia.

It may not be a cure-all and it may not cure the same condition in every person, but there are many examples like the ones above of people being cured. The beauty of the ones above is that I believe they were both cured using cord blood stem cells rather than embryonic stem cells which many express concern about.

My wife and I had considered this--if it wasn't for the $2000 down payment and the $100/year fee beyond that, we probably would have signed up yesterday. It actually involves harvesting stem cells from the umbilical cord blood.

http://www.cordpartners.com/

http://www.cordblood.com/

http://www.corcell.com/

... and diabetes. =)

Storing cord blood for your new born is a big industry in asia, this is just starting to take off in US. Check Out CordBlood. they offer the service for US and other contries...

Fetal umbillical cord blood is rich in stem cells. If you're having a child it's worth looking into( Cord Blood Registry is a good source of information). One interesting thing to note is that stem cells harvested from cord blood can not only be used in the baby that produced them, but sometimes can be used in parents and siblings as well. This may be the case with other stem cells too, but I'm not sure.

Even though the hospital may not support fetal stem cell donation, that does not stop you from banking the cells yourself. There are commercial services that will bank these cells for you for a resasonable fee. ViaCord and CBR are two such services.

I chose CBR for my son. I pray that he never needs the cells, but if he does, they will be there.

Time to get rid of that CBR stock... I guess it's just as well I didn't shell out $800 to save my newborn's cord blood, isn't it?

With more stem cell research, recently allowed by the NIH, the public will soon be able (I guess 10 years or so) to generate embryonic stem cells from your own somatic cells, skin cells etc., and allow you to donate all kinds of stem cells not just bone marrow stem cells to yourself or others without a marrow tap.

Whoa....