Keep the baby's umbilical cord in the bank at birth, is it really necessary?

There are many things to think about and prepare for when you are going to give birth. One thing to think about before the birth process of your little one is whether you are going to keep the baby's umbilical cord (also called the umbilical cord) or not. Yes, currently keeping the baby's umbilical cord in a special bank is hot. Actually, what are the benefits of saving the baby's umbilical cord? Should every parent do this?

Save the baby's umbilical cord at birth so that it can be used as medicine in the future

The baby's umbilical cord is the channel that connects food and oxygen between the mother and the fetus while in the womb. So, what is actually taken from the umbilical cord is the blood in the channel containing stem cells (stem cells). Experts believe that these stem cells can help treat various chronic diseases.

Several clinical studies that have been done previously stated that umbilical cord blood can help treat diseases such as autism, blood cancer, blood disorders, and several immune system disorders. However, this cannot be confirmed and guaranteed. Experts still need a series of further studies to develop this theory.

What is the procedure for storing the umbilical cord in a bank?

You should have taken this decision with your partner when you enter the third trimester of pregnancy. By then, you have to disconnect and contact the umbilical cord bank. This is done to anticipate in the event of premature birth.

During childbirth, the doctor will cut off the umbilical cord attached to the baby and draw blood from the cut umbilical cord with a syringe. At least, about 40 ml of blood will be drawn. This depends on the condition of the mother, baby, and childbirth that has just been done. If the mother gives birth to more than one baby, the blood in the umbilical cord may be less.

This procedure will not affect the health of the mother or baby and only takes about 5 minutes. Furthermore, the blood will be processed in the laboratory, to separate the parts of the blood. From this process, finally the stem cells are obtained which will be stored in a freezer with a temperature of around -196 degrees Celsius to keep the cells from being damaged. These frozen stem cells can last up to at least 10 years without being damaged.

So, do I need to keep the baby's umbilical cord in the bank?

In fact, this goes back to each parent. Storing cord blood is the same as making biological insurance that can be used at a later date, for example when a baby has a disease. If indeed you are interested in doing this, think carefully. Here are the pros and cons of storing the umbilical cord that you can take into account when storing the umbilical cord in a special bank, namely:

Pro

1. Can be a savior when a child or family member has certain diseases

Yes, there have been many studies that state that with stem cells in the baby's umbilical cord blood, it can treat several chronic diseases such as leukemia, cancer, blood disorders, autoimmune diseases, and several other metabolic disorders.

Each person has their own uniqueness and characteristics of stem cells, so that when needed later, it is very difficult to find the right stem cells that fit the body. However, if you have saved it, you don't need to worry about finding suitable stem cells.

2. Does not cause health problems when the process is carried out

The procedure for collecting umbilical cord blood is very short and has no adverse effects on the mother or baby, so this method is considered safe.

Counter

1. Requires a very high cost

Unfortunately, it's not cheap if you plan to store the baby's umbilical cord in a specialized bank. Currently there are still a few cord banks in Indonesia and all of them offer fees that require you to spend quite a bit in your pocket. Usually, the fee you will have to pay is according to the storage duration of the stem cell you choose. The longer it is stored, the more it will cost.

2. Not all children will need stem cells in the future

In fact, not all children whose umbilical cord is stored in a bank will need it at a later date. According to one study, the chances of a child using stored stem cells were between 400 and 200,000 occurrences. Especially if there is no history of certain chronic diseases in your family such as leukemia or other blood disorders. Then maybe you and your family don't really need to do this.

3. There is also no guarantee that treatment with stem cells will work

What you should know is that not all diseases can be cured with stem cells. There are several conditions that are caused by genetic mutations, such as spina bifida, which cannot be treated with this method. The reason is, when a disease occurs due to a genetic mutation, it is likely that the stored stem cells also have the mutated genetic makeup. So, it could be pointless.

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