Pre-Natal Visits
- An expectant family’s first encounter with us is often a pre-natal visit. Scheduling a pre-natal visit allows you to meet one of our doctors, see our office, and ask questions about how we do things.
- To schedule a pre-natal visit, call our office at 661-294-2229 and select option 2.
FAQ- Cord Blood Banking
When an infant is born,
the umbilical cord is cut close to the baby’s abdomen. The rest of
the cord and the placenta have traditionally been thrown away. That
is unfortunate because the cells in the blood remaining in those
tissues are stem cells. They have the potential to be transplanted
to treat blood, immunological, metabolic and malignant disorders.
These cells also have the potential to develop into other organ
cells such as pancreas (to treat diabetes), skin (to treat burns),
etc., although this has not yet been perfected.
Saving an infant’s cord blood has been offered to parents for
several years, mostly through for-profit cord blood banks and
promoted as “biological insurance” in case one of their children
needs it. There is an initial cost as well as yearly maintenance
fees to keep the blood available.
Although there is less risk of infections such as hepatitis and
HIV in infant’s blood, it is readily available and is easier to
transplant than adult cells, there can be complications. The
American Academy of Pediatrics has published some guidelines for
parents to be aware of when making this decision. There is no
accurate estimate of the probability of a child needing cord blood.
Estimates range from 1 in a 1,000 to more than 1 in 200, 000. Cord
blood is not always the answer. If the child whose blood is stored
develops leukemia, for instance, his own cord blood cannot be used
because his genes are programmed to develop leukemia. Only if there
is a sibling or close relative whose cord blood is stored is there a
chance cord blood might help.
Cord blood banking should be arranged long before labor begins
and a team available in the delivery room to collect it under the
correct procedures. It may not be done in the case of a complicated
delivery when the infant and/or mother’s well being is an issue.
Genetic tests on the cord blood by the storage facility
may reveal unexpected abnormalities that should be disclosed to
parents.
In addition, if later problems develop in a donor
child, the bank should be informed. There are only a handful of
not-for-profit cord blood banks such as one established by the
National Institutes of Health for families with a close relative
that has a possibly treatable condition. Parents should be wary of
claims made by companies promoting cord blood banking as medical
insurance for everyone.
Do your homework and talk to your pediatrician and any specialist
that might be involved in the illness in your family before
committing money and hope to banking your child’s blood. Encourage
the government to set up cord blood banks so that everyone can
benefit and worried families are not exploited.
Expectant parents have asked me for several years now what I think of saving their child’s cord blood. My response has been that it makes sense only if you know there is some disease in your family that might be helped with cord blood. Otherwise the considerable investment will probably do more good starting a bank account for your child’s education.