Donating vs. Private Bank Storage

Some families have already decided to save their baby�s cord blood. The next step for them is deciding whether to privately store or publicly bank the umbilical cord blood.

Donating to a Public Cord Blood Bank

What exactly does donating publicly entail? It really depends on the bank, as each bank subscribes to different policies. It also depends on your individual situation. Generally, once you donate to a public bank, you hand over your ownership of the cord blood. However, should you need the cord blood before another recipient has requested it, you are usually entitled to use it. There is no guarantee, of course, that another patient won�t use it first. Lastly, you may not even need the cord blood, in which case your baby�s stem cells will be used to treat a patient in need.

Storing with a Private Cord Blood Bank Company

Storing your baby�s cord blood with a private company means that you own and are entitled to use the cord blood. There is a price tag that comes along with this ownership. Fees vary greatly between banks, ranging anywhere from $250 to $1,800 for the initial collection fee. There is then a yearly storage fee that ranges from $50 to $100. Companies also vary greatly along a number of criteria, such as how the blood is shipped to the processing center. Take a look at our questionnaire to find out which company will best suite your needs.

Things to Know When Donating

If you�ve made the decision to donate, read the bank�s fine print. There are actually two types of public cord blood banks: non-profit and for-profit. Non-profit banks have been described above. For-profit public banks are very different. They operate by collecting donated blood and selling it to medical laboratories for scientific research. More information on for-profit public banks can be found in our types of public banks section.