Private Banks
When you’re choosing where to bank your cord blood, there are two options; private banks and public banks. Here we look at private banks and how they differ from public banks.
Private Cord Blood Banking
Private cord blood banks charge you a fee to store your cord blood. The price varies from facility to facility, depending on factors, such as the services offered and how the blood is transported to the processing center. You can expect to pay between $250 and $1,800 initially and then anywhere from $50 to $100 per year in storage fees. The advantage of a private bank is that the blood is available whenever you need it.
Differences Between Public and Private Cord Blood Banks
- Public Banks: These not-for-profit banks take donations of cord blood and make them available to patients who need them and match your child’s blood type, or use them for research purposes. This service does not cost the parents any money.
- Private Banks: A private bank charges a fee to collect and store cord blood, however, that blood will only be available to the immediate family of the donor. Some see this as an insurance policy against future illness in the child.
Pros and Cons of Private Cord Blood Banks
| Pro | Con |
| Cord blood stem cells should be a good match for all immediate family members. Private banking ensures that stem cells will be available should any family member need them. | Only 25% of in-need patients were able to find a match in their family – the other 75% have to rely on public banks for stem cell treatments. |
| If you, or your partner, is of a certain race, or mixed race heritage, there may be fewer donors from your racial group available, should a family member need stem cell treatments. Banking your cord blood ensures that you will always have a match available. | Cord blood cannot be used to treat genetic or blood disorders in the people who donate them because the same disorders will be present in their stem cells. |
| Should you, or a family member, ever need stem cell treatments, having your cord blood banked will reduces the chances of graft vs. host disease, infections or rejections. | Banking cord blood is very expensive, and the odds that you, or another family member will ever need to use it are very low. |
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