Are you ready to choose a cord blood bank that will help secure your baby’s cord blood?
We have listed 8 things for you to consider before you make the big decision for your child’s health investment. Let’s begin!
Are you ready to choose a cord blood bank that will help secure your baby’s cord blood?
We have listed 8 things for you to consider before you make the big decision for your child’s health investment. Let’s begin!
8 things to consider
in choosing your trusted cord blood bank
One of the ways to tell if the cord blood bank has good financial credibility and stability is by checking their years of experience and the way they operate. A stable cord blood bank would have many years of experience and uses its own laboratory.
The years in which the bank has been operating and the number of cord blood stem cells units stored would indicate a strong banking experience. A large number of units stored will indicate the number of clients who have entrusted the company with their child’s cord blood stem cells storage.
Look for cord blood banks with the longest accreditations track record that are specifically designed for cord blood banks, such as AABB. This is to ensure that they adhere to the best practices and follow the stringent protocols from the collection to the processing and storage of cord blood.
The bank should have a licence and compliance to the regulatory standards to operate a stem cell processing and storage laboratory. Do consider the laboratory location to ensure that it is easily accessible and close to hospitals as time is of the essence for treatment facilitation. A good cord blood bank should also have a backed up power supply and proper contingency plan should an emergency were to occur.
A successful cord blood bank can be indicated by its experience in releasing cord blood for transplants and participation in experimental therapies. It also confirms that the cord blood stored is viable for therapies.
Consider choosing a cord blood bank that offers good insurance programs especially one that covers cord blood stem cells viability for when a transplant is needed.
It is crucial to ensure that the collected cord blood and cord lining samples are transported securely to the laboratory as soon as possible. The stem cells present in the freshly collected samples are fragile and sensitive to temperature and should be carefully handled by specially trained personnel and packed in a specialised protective system.
Comprehensive testing and screening should be carried out for every cord blood collection:
- Cord blood volume collected
- Number of Total Nucleated Cells (TNC), or a measure of the cell count after cord blood processing.
- Number of CD34+ (the biomarker for HSC) cells and viability
- Baby’s blood group
- Infectious diseases* (eg Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, HIV, CMV) for cord blood and maternal blood
- Contamination test
*As requested by National Standards for Cord Blood Banking and Transplantation issued by Ministry of Health Malaysia. For cord lining collected, a complete verification tests should include the following:
- Microbial test for bacteria and fungi – To prove the units are cleared of any contamination
- Biomarker test / Phenotyping test – To verify the presence of target cell(s) in tissue
- Tissue verification test through cell expansion – To verify the targeted cells are viable and can be expanded
Why You should choose StemLife?
Over 21 years of experience
Pioneer private stem cell bank in Malaysia
Strong and Secured
Part of the largest network in Asia with affiliation to Cordlife Group Limited - in Singapore, Hong Kong & Macau, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Brunei and Thailand. Trusted by over 600,000 parents since 2001.
Successful Transplant Track Record
Cordlife Group has released, more than 71 cord blood units for various medical treatments.
Internationally accredited laboratory
Parents can be assured that the cord blood unit has been collected, processed and stored according to International Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB) standards, a gold standard in Cord blood bank industry.
Premier assurance
7 additional protection benefits to safeguard you and your family when you enrol with StemLife.
*T & C applies
