Cord Blood Banking

[Drew-Memphis]

Hey guys, had some medical questions for Phatmass.

Since I'm relatively new to the faith, wanted to see if there would be any theological or moral issues with banking our future child's cord blood. There are a ton of positives and "insurance-type" benefits, in the event that our child developed a severe illness like leukemia.


I'm attaching a link to American Pregnancy Association, it's their article about Cord Blood Banking.

Are there any moral or theological issues that might arise from this?

There is no risk to the baby. The blood comes from the umbilical cord.

Thanks all and have a blessed day.
Drew

[url="http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/cordbloodbanking.html"]http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/cordbloodbanking.html[/url]

[Archaeology cat]

I'm not a medical professional, but I'd question whether there are truly no drawbacks for the baby. I personally am against immediate cord clamping (you have to do immediate cord clamping to bank the cord blood, unless I'm mistaken), because the baby is still getting oxygenated blood from the placenta until the cord stops pulsating. With that, they're also getting the Vitamin K that they need (I'm not a big fan of the prophylactic Vit K injection at birth, either, unless it's an assisted delivery or more traumatic delivery or something along those lines). And since the cord blood is rich with stem cells, it seems like it would be beneficial for the baby to receive that blood, in my un-expert opinion.

[Nihil Obstat]

Well otherwise it just gets thrown away. I'd be shocked if there were something wrong with keeping it.

[zunshynn]

No moral problems, in fact it is a very good thing to do! It is much safer to use your own cord blood, or that of a close relative if a health problem should arise at a later date than it would be to use other cord blood... not to mention the waiting list for donated cord blood is very long.

Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive to bank.

You can also donate cord blood if you personally don't want to bank it. Most progress that has come from stem cell research has actually been from cord blood and placenta... not, as the media would have you believe, from embryonic stem cells. Cord blood stem cells are more mature, and consequently, more stable, which is important for medical research and for success in applying it in medicine.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='14 April 2010 - 04:56 PM' timestamp='1271260603' post='2093239']
Well otherwise it just gets thrown away.
[/quote]
Not if you don't clamp the cord.

But no, I don't see how there would be a moral problem with cord blood banking.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' date='14 April 2010 - 11:15 AM' timestamp='1271261732' post='2093250']
Not if you don't clamp the cord.

But no, I don't see how there would be a moral problem with cord blood banking.
[/quote]
I just realized I know almost nothing about what happens immediately post-birth. What happens with the umbilical cord?

[zunshynn]

Also, currently not all hospitals are equipped to save cord blood, so you'd have to plan beforehand with the hospital to make sure that they can do it.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='zunshynn' date='14 April 2010 - 10:18 AM' timestamp='1271261908' post='2093253']
Also, currently not all hospitals are equipped to save cord blood, so you'd have to plan beforehand with the hospital to make sure that they can do it.
[/quote]
Yes. And banking is not cheap. We considered banking but had too much else going on to fully investigate.

AC raises good points. I do see the advantages of it, and believe it's morally OK, but I think it is primarily a means of profiting off new parents' fears and concerns for their child's long-term health.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='14 April 2010 - 05:17 PM' timestamp='1271261877' post='2093252']
I just realized I know almost nothing about what happens immediately post-birth. What happens with the umbilical cord?
[/quote]
Immediately afterwards, the cord continues to pulsate as blood from the placenta is still being pumped into the baby. It is the baby's blood, after all. After a few minutes, the cord will naturally clamp itself and can then be cut. Some people choose to have a lotus birth, where they don't cut the cord at all. With Kieran the cord was immediately clamped, while it was delayed with Charlotte (I'd wanted it delayed with Kieran, too, but they wouldn't let me, for various reasons). Anyway, Charlotte didn't cry at birth, she was still receiving oxygenated blood from the cord and had a smoother, slower transition to breathing, and she wanted to breastfeed while still attached. Now, having a calmer birth experience overall I'm sure played a part in her being calmer at birth, too, but I do think the delayed cord clamping contributed to that. Of course, it also helps that she was immediately put next to me, while Kieran was checked and then put on me (at that time I didn't know I could insist that all checks be done with him on me).

[CatherineM]

I would donate not bank. Banking is expensive. Donating can save lives, and show that stem cells don't have to come from aborted fetuses.

[zunshynn]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' date='14 April 2010 - 12:43 PM' timestamp='1271270587' post='2093353']
Some people choose to have a lotus birth, where they don't cut the cord at all.
[/quote]

I don't understand. How can you not cut the cord at all?

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='zunshynn' date='15 April 2010 - 12:58 AM' timestamp='1271289510' post='2093595']
I don't understand. How can you not cut the cord at all?
[/quote]
It will naturally fall off (just as the cord stump will naturally fall off if you do cut the cord). With [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_birth"]lotus birth[/url], the cord is simply kept completely intact until it naturally falls off, and the placenta is usually dried during this time (since it's still attached). I'm not quite crunchy enough for lotus birth, just delayed cord clamping.

[mcts]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' date='15 April 2010 - 06:35 AM' timestamp='1271327701' post='2093891']
It will naturally fall off (just as the cord stump will naturally fall off if you do cut the cord). With [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_birth"]lotus birth[/url], the cord is simply kept completely intact until it naturally falls off, and the placenta is usually dried during this time (since it's still attached). I'm not quite crunchy enough for lotus birth, just delayed cord clamping.
[/quote]

How long does it take for the cord to fall off?

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='mcts' date='15 April 2010 - 04:53 PM' timestamp='1271346798' post='2094046']
How long does it take for the cord to fall off?
[/quote]
Well, with my kids the cord stump fell off in under a week. I think they generally say 7-10 days is normal.

[mcts]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' date='15 April 2010 - 12:20 PM' timestamp='1271348431' post='2094069']
Well, with my kids the cord stump fell off in under a week. I think they generally say 7-10 days is normal.
[/quote]


7-10 days with the baby still attached?!?!?!