How Much Does Cord Blood Banking Cost?

While public cord blood banking is free, parents have to pay for private banking. Get the lowdown on cost, insurance coverage, and more. 

How much does cord blood banking cost? Public cord blood banking is free, but private cord blood banking could cost between $1,350 and $2,350, depending on several factors, such as collecting, testing, and registration fees.

If you are interested in considering cord blood banking, including what it is, what type they should use (public or private), and cord blood banking cost, keep reading to learn more.

What Is Cord Blood and Why Do People Save It?

Cord blood is found in the umbilical cord and placenta. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the blood found in the umbilical cord is rich in a specific type of cell called hematopoietic stem cells, which have a unique ability to copy themselves and then mature into different types of cells that can be used to treat specific diseases that harm the blood and immune system, such as leukemia, certain cancers, sickle-cell anemia, and some metabolic disorders.

Families who are at a high risk of developing one of these diseases might consider cord blood banking since it can help with future treatments. Typically, when a person chooses to do cord blood banking, they need to discuss it with their health care provider early enough in the pregnancy to learn and understand the process and to create a plan. According to The Parent's Guide for Cord Blood Foundation, there are more than 80 diseases that have been successfully treated by using cells from cord blood.

How Is Cord Blood Collected and Stored?

Thanks to the potential life-saving abilities of cord blood, some parents choose to store it in a bank. Here's how it works: After the umbilical cord is cut, the obstetrician will harvest the stem cells in a non-surgical procedure by inserting a needle into the center of the umbilical cord to collect a small sample of blood—this is a painless procedure for both parent and newborn. The cells can then be stored indefinitely in a secure holding environment and withdrawn when needed.

Cord blood stem cells can be donated for public use or registered privately within a family. The main difference between public and private cord blood banking is who is allowed to have access to it in the future.

Related: Everything to Know About Cord Blood Banking

What Is Private Cord Banking?

Families can pay to store cord blood at a private bank. The blood is reserved for your own family; nobody else can access or use it, and it will never be allotted to another family or donated to research.

Many people believe that private cord blood banking could benefit those with a strong family history of certain diseases that harm the blood and immune system. The belief is that parents who already have a child (in a household with biological siblings) who is sick with one of these diseases have the greatest chance of finding a match with their baby's cord blood—although there's still no guarantee.

It is important to note that the AAP states that there is little evidence to support this claim and that when it comes to leukemia in particular, it would not be useful since a child who develops leukemia would have pre-malignant leukemia cells in their own cord blood.

What Is Public Cord Banking?

Public cord blood banks are nonprofit companies that store your donated cord blood for free. The cord blood becomes available for any transplant patient—and also for research purposes—so accessing your own cord blood in the future isn't guaranteed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends public cord blood banking because diseases that might require cord blood transplantation are very rare.

The AAP also states that the chances of an infant's cord blood being used for transplantation are 30 times greater in the public cord blood banking system. Moreover, the cord blood stored in public cord blood banks is subject to strict FDA regulation, external accreditation, and peer review, which gives public cord blood banking a higher quality control than private cord blood banking.

Related: 7 Newborn Vaccines Your Baby Needs

Cord Blood Banking Cost

Public cord blood banking is free. The participating hospital pays for the collection, testing, and storing of cord blood, which can be costly, and is why the service is not offered at every hospital.

Private cord blood banking, however, is expensive. According to the AAP, you can expect to pay between $1350 and $2350 for collecting, testing, and registering. You'll also pay $100 to $175 in annual storage and maintenance fees for private cord blood banking.

Both public and private cord blood banks require the birthing parent to be tested for various infections (like hepatitis and HIV)—and depending on factors like your insurance plan, this could add to the cost.

Why is the price of private cord blood banking so high? "This is a medical service that has to be done when your baby's cells arrive, and you certainly want them to be handled by good equipment and good technicians," says Frances Verter, PhD, founder and director of Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation , a nonprofit dedicated to educating parents about cord blood donation and cord blood therapists. "It's just not going to be cheap."

Related: 6 Pre-Pregnancy Tests and Health Checks to Consider Before Conceiving

Does Health Insurance Cover Cord Blood Banking?

No, health insurance companies will not typically reimburse families for any of the costs of private cord blood banking. That said, certain insurance companies may pitch in if a sibling needs to be treated with cord blood in the near future, Dr. Verter says.

Is Financial Aid Available?

Financial aid is available for some families that opt for private cord blood banking. If you have a sick child who could benefit from umbilical cord blood, banks may offer programs in which they'll cover free cord blood processing and storage. In other words, this financial aid is usually only available if your baby has a biological sibling with certain diseases.

When To Begin Planning Cord Blood Banking

Whether you ultimately choose to go with public or private cord blood banking, there is a lot to consider once your decision is made. According to the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), you should begin talking to your doctor about cord blood banking approximately 3 months (between weeks 28 and 34 weeks) before your due date. This gives the hospital time to prepare for processing your baby's cord blood.

Talk to your health care provider about why you wish to use cord blood banking to either store or donate cord blood. They will help you decide which is the best option: public or private cord blood banking. If you choose to donate cord blood to a public cord blood bank, you can check here to see where participating hospitals are near you.

Choosing to donate your baby's cord blood to a public cord blood bank is a fantastic idea. Not only will your baby's cells potentially help treat a future disease—in them or someone else—but those cells can also be used for research, which can help lead to possible cures and better treatments for many different diseases and conditions.

Key Takeaways

Cord blood banking plays a vital role in helping to treat certain life-threatening diseases. You can choose to donate cord blood to a public cord blood bank, which is free and strictly regulated, but there are no guarantees that you will have access to your baby's cells. Or you can choose to have your baby's cord blood stored in a private facility where only your family will have access to the cells. Talk to your doctor to help you decide which option is the best fit for your family.

For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Parents .