When you are pregnant, you plan and your plan and you plan. The result? Several checklists strewn about here and there for you to keep track of. However, in the rush to plan every small stage of your pregnancy, don’t forget to prepare for what comes after. Immediately after you give birth that is. Factoring in stem cell banking into your delivery plan can actually protect your baby (and you, their dad, and their sibling) against a host of diseases in the future. Here’s how you can factor in Stem Cell Banking like the one Lifecell offers in your pregnancy checklist:
Start The Process In Your Second Trimester
While you can get started in your third trimester as well, commencing the planning process in the second trimester gives you enough time to do your research. You can spend the extra time discussing your options with your partner, looking up stem cell banks, and completing formalities so that there’s no rush to finish everything in the already kind of chaotic third trimester.
It also gives you enough time to understand what stem cell banking is. It’s the process of collecting the blood from your baby’s umbilical cord as soon as it’s cut after delivery. The collected blood is carefully preserved in cryobags, tested for existing conditions, and stored for future use if it’s found clean. It can actually help cure blood disorders, genetic immune disorders, metabolic disorders, and blood cancers.
Choose Your Stem Cell Bank Carefully
India has about a dozen or so stem cell banks in the country, which can be categorized into two major types – private cord blood banks and public cord blood banks. The latter collect donations of stem cells and keep them for research purposes or as a public pool for societal use. Meanwhile, private cord blood banks charge a small fee and keep cord blood for either family or community use, like Lifecell does. The latter is better as it gives you instant access to your preserved samples whenever you need them anywhere in the blood.
Complete All Formalities & Collect Your Kit
If you choose Lifecell’s Community Stem Cell Banking, which combines the benefits of private and public cord blood banks into one by adding your baby’s preserved units to a community pool so that the odds of finding a compatible donor increase significantly, the process is simple.
All you have to do is order your kit online, choose the storage plan that makes most sense to you, and store it safely till you have to carry it to the hospital on the day of delivery.
Bring The Kit With Your For Delivery
When the day of delivery comes, you’ll have to carry the collection kit with you to the hospital. If you opt for Lifecell’s services, you can book a paramedic in advance (8-10 hours before delivery) and they will arrive at the hospital promptly to ensure the collection process goes smoothly.
Don’t worry about a thing. The collection of cord blood creates no disruptions in your delivery plan or your big moment with your baby. Both of you won’t even notice the paramedic taking the sample as it’s only collected after the cord has been cut. Just be sure to inform your hospital/medical team about it so they do not discard the umbilical cord after delivery.
Preserve Storage Confirmation
Once the sample is collected by the paramedic, check it to make sure it contains your name and your details. After that, it will be shipped to a lab for testing to check its quality and whether it is safe for use. You can expect the results within 30 days. You can track the process and view if your collected sample got the all-clear on your personalized dashboard. If you get the green signal, you will also receive a storage confirmation or certificate. Keep this safe with you. You can use this to get access to matching units whenever your baby or its sibling or you require a transplant or face a similar medical emergency.
Futureproof Your Family
Currently, stem cell banking can be used to cure 80 diseases and this number is only expanding as research dives deeper into its potential. There’s no better cure for inherited disorders, blood conditions, or certain types of cancer. The odds of rejection with cord blood stem cells are significantly low. Plus, it’s a risk-free procedure to collect them. In fact, stem cells derived this way can be stored for years and still be safe for use, so you are literally future-proofing your family.
Conclusion
It might seem complicated, painful or risky at first glance but Community Stem Cell Banking, such as the Lifecell offers, is actually perfectly safe, simple, painless and risk-free. It’s one of the best things you can do for your baby. By investing in stem cell banking, you invest in creating a brighter, healthier future for them, which they will be thankful for forever.