Find the Best Cord Blood Banks in Buffalo, NY

How to choose a cord blood bank in Buffalo

Cord blood banking can seem confusing, but it helps to plan the process one step at a time. First, you need to choose between private and public cord blood banking.

• Private cord blood banks collect and store cord blood and reserve it for personal or familial use. Private facilities typically either require upfront payment or one-time fees followed by a monthly storage rate. Private cord blood storage reduces the risk of post-transplant graft-versus-host disease because the sample perfectly matches the donor and has a 75% chance of being a partial match for full siblings. Private cord blood banking is best for families with genetic disorders since they can always have free access to their personal cord blood.
• Public cord blood banks are free storage facilities where donor cells are available to any matching person. Public cord blood banks increase the diversity of available tissue and help those in need. However, public banks do not reserve donations for personal or family use, so don’t expect your sample to be available if you need it later. While donations are free, patients retrieving cord blood samples pay around $45,000. Public cord blood banking is best for families who do not have a family history of diseases that would require cord blood or bone marrow transplants.

Once you’re ready to look for a particular facility, consider regulatory requirements and optional accreditations. The Food and Drug Administration requires all cord blood banks to register themselves, complete a Biologics License Application and comply with its regulations. The FDA also requires donors to be screened and tested for infectious diseases.

Cord blood banks can also receive additional certifications for abiding by rules set by the American Association of Blood Banks or the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. When looking into cord blood banks, be sure to choose a company that is registered with the FDA and has multiple accreditations and certifications.

You can take your time to choose the right facility, but remember that it’s important to make this decision early on in your pregnancy so you have time to act on it.

How much does cord blood banking cost in Buffalo?

The average initial cost of cord blood banking, including collection and processing, is generally between $1,400 and $4,000 in the Buffalo. However, this cost can double if you choose to submit umbilical cord tissue along with cord blood samples.

You don’t have to pay for the entire cost of cord blood banking upfront, though. Some companies allow you to break the cost into monthly payments, while others charge a smaller initial amount, usually around $1,000, followed by yearly storage fees.

After the collection, testing and registration of samples, cord blood storage costs between $95 to $300 per year in a private bank. Paying this way, the cost of 20 years of cord blood banking usually ranges between $3,000 and $7,000.

Your hospital may charge for collecting cord blood and umbilical cord tissue. Note that this is separate from the estimated initial costs of cord blood banking. Furthermore, insurance does not typically cover the costs of cord blood banking. If these costs seem prohibitive, most private blood banks offer financial assistance.

Pros and cons of cord blood banking in Buffalo

There are benefits and drawbacks to cord blood banking, so it’s critical you make an informed decision about whether it’s right for you and your family.

• Over 70 medical conditions are treatable with the stem cells found in cord blood. These conditions include immune system disease, genetic disorders, neurologic disorders, leukemia and lymphoma.
• With private banking, your own cord blood stem cells are accessible to you and your family members.
• Blood-forming stem cells can be frozen and stored for two decades and still be used successfully in transplants.
• Collecting cord blood is painless and easy, compared to bone marrow collection.
• More matches are possible with cord-blood-sourced stem cells than bone marrow.
• Cord-blood-sourced stem cells are less likely to cause rejection in transplants.
• Blood-forming cells from cord blood can strengthen a person’s immune system following cancer treatment, while blood marrow cells cannot.

• Private banking is expensive.
• Your child or family members may never need the stem cells you saved.
• A child’s own stem cells may not help treat any genetic disorders or leukemia they develop, because their sample can contain these same diseases.

Buffalo cord blood banking FAQ

Can I donate cord blood in Buffalo?

Yes, you can donate cord blood can in Buffalo. However, pregnant mothers must first pass a detailed maternal health screening before being able to donate cord blood. In New York, donors must also usually be 18 years of age or older to donate cord blood.

How much cord blood is needed for a transplant?

It depends — the number of stem cells is more important than the volume of cord blood collected. Medical professionals determine this number by the total nucleated cell count as it's the easiest indicator to verify in laboratories. The average cord blood donation possesses 8.6 million TNC per mL. So, to treat cancer, 2.9 mL of cord blood is needed for every kg of patient weight, according to the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood.

How long does cord blood banking last?

Banked cord blood can remain viable for 20 years or more.

Has cord blood been used successfully?

Yes, stem cells have been used for decades to successfully treat more than 70 conditions, such as diseases of the immune system, genetic disorders, neurologic disorders, leukemia and lymphoma.