Stem Cell Cord Blood Bank/Donation

Has anyone had any experience or done enough research about this?
We're considering this for many personal reasons but I wondered if anyone is using any UK services. I know it can be done on the NHS as a anonymous donation (i.e. not reserved for your baby or family) and wanted to find out if there was a happy compromise i.e. if we used a private service can enough be collected for both NHS and private blood bank storage? We'd like to do both.

I am looking for recommendations as looked at Cells4Life and Virgin and wanted a reputable company that has been/will be around.

I asked about it at the baby show. the NHS only take it in certain hospitals (not one im going to give birth in) and the private ones only do it so your family can use the donation and not strangers!

Yes, similar to what my midwife said; that our local birthing centre/hospital does collect but it goes anonymously to NHS bank - an idea which I support, but then if ever anything happens and we should need cord/stem cells as a family it's a pot luck if you will get your own or clearly if there is any that matches you at the time. This is what is concerning. I would like to support donation and research/development for various cures but I also would like some assurance it will be available for our child should it be needed.

hi tiger201,

it is quite diffcult to have both nhs and private.i think u can only do one. cos there are not much cord blood left when your placenta are out. i work as a theatre nurse. when do surgery, our hosp do get cord blood to do blood testing. each time, they are only like 3 - 5ml (or even less) of blood from the vein and artery. if you want your baby to have the cord blood save, it is best to have it done privately.

but u got to know those cord blood only can keep for 20 years and one use only. it means after ur baby is 21 and got the xxx, the cord blood is useless. also the cord blood can only use for 1 treatment (might have 2, dun really know). if the first treatment, nothing works for your baby, that's it! And also the cord blood at the moment are only good for 4 type of disease. if ur kid happens to have other disease, it wont work.

the priavte stem cell collections normally only keep it for your kids, it wont get it to other people. no such tihings as save it for nhs too.

once 20 yrs up, they will discard it. but we knows, in 10 years time, science might have improve a lot and it can keep for longer and good for other diseases!

3 years ago, i made a few phone call to nhs stem cell donation down in london. they wont be able to collect it if you not from their hospital. (they r not allow to travel around) also depend if they have people to collect it when u r having your baby. for example, weekend, bank holiday, during night time.....

gtg, feel like sleeping now. will write when i got time.

Wow ET, THANKS! Baby kicking so awake at moment but appreciate the details. That is super informative. I wasn't sure how much would be collected. We'll weigh up options but the main interest lay in cardiac disease which both my father and uncle have (quite extreme, 1 is a transplant survivor) and scientists are doing therapeutic R&D with stem cells so it would be nice in future to see that become successful.Also for other cancers/Parkinsons etc. where it might help. My midwife says our NHS Hospital can collect and she does encourage mums to consider donation so I think she is proactive. Its interesting what you say about 20 yrs storage only. I think R&D might outweigh any self interest for our baby for now (and knock on wood, he/she gets health and longevity from dad's side, and if a girl takes after all her Grannies who lived to their 90s).

hi,

some private do 20 yr storage, some do 25 - 30. it all depends on the company and mean more ££ to pay the company to keep the blood.

i had looked at it a couple yrs ago. spoken to my hospital surgeon (who i work), they r not really keen on that cos...... but at the end of the day, is your choice. i choose not to do it private. so i turn to nhs for donation but... mine hospital dun have it.

it is a great news that ur nhs hosp do collect cord blood. when i down in london, i had to call so many places and they not willing to do it at all. mine down in kingston upon trent dun even had the facitilies to do it. so in the end, it went to waste!

sorry if i said too much info and confuse u.

good night.

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