Some of you may have heard about a cord blood bank being shut down by the FDA because it did not “have adequate protections in place against the risks of communicable disease transmission.”

We’re sure all our patients know this, but we want to reassure any of you who have questions: MAZE Cord Blood Labs are and always have been FDA approved. Our last audit was in July and our lab was approved without issue.

Well, everyone’s entitled to his or her opinion…

A study by the University of California, San Francisco, that will be published in October, uses a type of quantitative analysis called “decision analysis” to determine the effectiveness of private cord blood banking.

The study determines that it is not. Hmmm.

The technique used in the study only evaluates absolute cost and the probability of a family using the cord blood, based upon the currently available treatments, and crunches out a conclusion that, on average, if private cord blood banking costs $242, or if a family has a determined history of a treatable disease, then banking cord blood is “cost effective.”

Hmmm.

Of course, if private cord blood banks only charged $242 for processing and storage, they would not be in business, meaning that the small number of children who’s lived have been saved might not have had the futures they now possess. So, yes, perhaps by paying private cord blood banks we keep them in business, and therefore, allow them to serve families (maybe mine) if needed.

That seems worth it, doesn’t it?

In addition, so many researchers are working with cord blood right now, there is no way to imagine what cord blood may be used for in the future. As new treatments are discovered using cord blood, the likelihood of needing it increases.

One point about money: the study is based on facts related to private cord blood banking, namely cost and usage, as follows:

“The decision-analytic model used by the research team included four baseline assumptions: a cost of $3,620, the lowest price quoted from major blood banking company web sites, for umbilical cord blood banking and storage for 20 years; a .04 percent chance of requiring an autologous (self) or stem cell transplant; a .07 percent chance of a sibling requiring an allogenic (from another person) stem cell transplant; and a 50 percent reduction in risk of graft-versus-host disease if a sibling receives a transplant of banked umbilical cord blood cells.”

Anyone who’s studied private cord blood banking costs knows that M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories charges $2010 for processing and 20 years of storage. So much for flawless research…

Cord blood banking has been in the news extensively in India.  Along with a number of cord blood banks starting to offer services in India, there have been some high profile treatments delivered, using the stem cells from cord blood.  A recent story involves an Indian family that delivered a second child to save the life of their firstborn.

Their baby suffered from thalassemia, a disorder causing the production of abnormal hemoglobin.  Typically, treated with blood transfusions, thalassemia can be cured through the transplant of stem cells that can be found in bone marrow or cord blood.  Stem cell matches are even more difficult to find in India than in the United States so doctors suggested the family conceive another child to attempt to find a match for their sick child.

The family conceived a second child and the baby was a match!  The stem cell transplant was successful and the older daughter is now thalassemia-free.  While siblings are not guaranteed to be a match, they are more likely to match a child than the general population.  We love to hear about successful cord blood treatments.

Expectant parents often wonder when they need to decide if they are going to bank their baby’s cord blood and when they need to register with a cord blood bank.  While you can decide anytime during your pregnancy, we recommend beginning your research early in your second trimester.  You want to have time to examine your options and not feel rushed. You should be able to gather information packets, make any phone calls, check out some unbiased sources and maybe even talk to your pregnant friends and your health care provider.

In addition, if you wait until the last minute to register, your cord blood bank may need to charge a rush fee to ensure that your cord blood collection kit makes it to you before the arrival of your baby.  Since even scheduled babies sometimes arrive early, you don’t want to take a chance with the baby coming before your cord blood collection kit gets there.

Choosing a cord blood bank to save your baby’s cord blood is a big decision.  Parents worry about making the right choice.  Will the cord blood be processed correctly?  Will the cord blood be safe?

Every parent worries about these questions.  Now you can hear from parents who have banked their cord blood with M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories.  Click here to read comments from some of the parents who have banked their baby’s cord blood with M.A.Z.E.

Expectant parents sometimes worry that their doctor may not be familiar with the cord blood collection process.  While cord blood collection is very common and many obstetricians have collected cord blood for previous patients, if yours hasn’t, don’t worry.  M.A.Z.E. provides extremely clear instructions for the cord blood collection process.  In addition, M.A.Z.E. has health care professionals on staff who can answer any questions your physician might have as well as talk your health care provider through the collection process if necessary.  Don’t worry about your doctor.  M.A.Z.E. makes the collection process as easy as possible.  We have never run into a doctor who complained about the collection process.

There are only 3 weeks left to register for the M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories savings bond giveaway.  M.A.Z.E. is offering one lucky winner a $500 savings bond.  No purchase is necessary to win.  All you need to do is give M.A.Z.E. your email and mailing addresses.  Click here to enter before it is too late.

A colleague recently found this great video that talks about cord blood and its possible use in future treatment.

Watch and enjoy.  If you have any questions, you can contact a cord blood specialist through M.A.Z.E. Cord Blood Laboratories at (914) 683-0000.

Many midwives and home-birth advocates recommend delaying cutting the umbilical cord after the baby is born.

These same midwives wonder if their patients will be able to collect their cord blood even if they choose to delay cutting the cord.

The simple answer is yes, you can save the baby’s cord blood, it just might take a little more time to collect it.

When collecting the cord blood, the healthcare provider may need to insert the needle into a couple of of different spots in the umbilical cord to ensure enough cord blood is collected.  This will in no way hurt since the umbilical cord is not connected to the baby or the mother at this time.  It may just take a couple of additional minutes on the part of the healthcare provider.  There is plenty of blood to allow for it to remain attached to the baby and still collect the cord blood.