Top Cord Blood Banking Services You Should Know

Stored stem cells from umbilical cord blood can be vital in treating a variety of conditions such as certain cancers, blood disorders, and immune deficiencies. These include leukemia, aplastic anemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Numerous blood banks across the United States specifically preserve cord blood for future medical needs.

It’s estimated that over one million cord blood units are stored in family banks nationwide. The Be The Match Registry also contains more than 225,000 donated units, with access to over 700,000 through global partnerships.

Approximately five percent of new parents opt to bank their baby’s umbilical cord blood. Of these, around 90% are stored in private family banks, while 10% are donated to public banks. Renowned private banks such as Cryo-Cell, Viacord, and Cord Blood Registry are among the oldest and largest in the U.S., operating since the early 1990s and accredited by the AABB (American Association of Blood Banks). Cryo-Cell is based in Oldsmar, Florida; Viacord in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Cord Blood Registry in San Bruno, California.

Another prominent private storage option is Lifebank USA in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, also accredited by the AABB. They offer free storage for umbilical cord blood and placental blood. Placental stem cells can differentiate into tissues like bone, cartilage, and fat, while cord blood stem cells develop into various blood cell types. Numerous online resources such as parents.com, bioinformant.com, and aabb.org compare and list cord blood banks across regions to help families make informed choices.

Storing cord blood is a practical method to secure stem-cell-rich blood for potential future treatments.