A California company that banks an infant’s umbilical cord blood has recorded a record number of enrollments and contributes its growth, in part, to people other than the child’s parents.
Umbilical cord blood contains stem cells. A person’s own stem cells — as opposed to just any adult stem cells — seems to offer a powerful tool for medical advances in degenerative diseases like cerebral palsy and other conditions that have no cure today.
Many cord blood banking registries have programs designed to help expectant parents manage the expense — as much as $1,200 up front and $100-$250 per year — and these programs are seeing tremendous growth. Indeed, the cost for as many as half of all families have a third party pay for part or all of the fees.
These third parties might be grandparents-to-be or other relatives, friends or co-workers who contribute to blood cord banking as a gift.
