Best Cord Blood Banking
Based on In-Depth Reviews
- 200+Hours of research
- 50+Sources used
- 15Companies vetted
- 4Features reviewed
- 5Top
Picks
- There are two types of banks for storing cord blood: public and private.
- Most experts agree that public banking is preferable to private banking.
- Be skeptical of “miracle cure” claims regarding cord blood treatments.
- Right now, over 80 conditions can be treated successfully with cord blood.
How we analyzed the best Cord Blood Banking Companies
Our Top Picks: Cord Blood Banking Reviews
Cord blood has been proven to be effective in the treatment of nearly 80 diseases, including some cancers, anemias, inherited metabolic disorders, solid tumors, and orthopedic repairs. But this is only the beginning; clinical trials are currently evaluating the benefits of cord blood for conditions such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and even autism.
However, before we delve into the specifics of cord blood, a distinction must be made between the two main ways of storing it: public and private.
THE CASE FOR PUBLIC BANKING
Besides pricing and regulation (which we will expand on below), the main difference between private and public cord blood banking is pretty simple: when you donate to a private bank, only the donor and his immediate family get access to the cord blood, whereas cord blood that is donated to a public bank will be available to anyone who needs it and is a “match.” To put it another way: while one method helps only a few, the other may benefit all.
Most cord blood experts, researchers, regulators, and related organizations – including the American Academy of Pediatrics, BeTheMatch.org, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Medical Association – agree that public cord blood banking is the way to go for most families. There are several reasons for this:
First and foremost, public banks make cord blood available to anyone who is a “match,” and not just the donor and his/her immediate family. “The publicly banked units are placed into a central registry and available whenever a patient needs them,” said Katie Loper, Senior Director of Cellular Therapies at the AABB. “More than 25,000 patients around the world have received cord blood transplants because parents have generously decided to donate their baby’s umbilical cord blood to a public cord blood bank.”
Second, there’s the fact that most donors (private or public) will NOT use their own cord blood. According to data by the American Association of Pediatrics, the likelihood of a child using his or her own cord blood stem cells might range from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 200,000. And even if they did need the cord blood, there’s no guarantee that it will still be viable due to subpar storing conditions.
Third, there’s the standard in regulations. While the FDA strictly regulates all aspects of public banks, its control over private cord blood banks is less stringent. For instance, the FDA does not require approval for cord blood destined for the donor’s personal use and/or his/her first-and-second-degree relatives.
Finally, there’s the price, which is a huge factor when considering whether to store cord blood in a private or public bank. In short: while donating to a public cord blood bank is entirely free of charge, private banks require a placement fee between $1,350 and $2,300, as well as maintenance fees of $100 to $175.
| PRIVATE VS PUBLIC CORD BLOOD BANKING: A COMPARISON  |
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PRIVATE CORD BLOOD BANKING |
PUBLIC CORD BLOOD BANKING |
| Blood is stored for the exclusive use of the donor and his immediate family members | Blood is stored for anyone who is a match and needs it |
| Placement fees ranging from $1,350 to $2,300, plus annual maintenance fees from $100 to $175 | Donating blood to a public bank is free |
| Regulation is more flexible, which may threaten the quality of the stored blood | Strict regulation by the FDA |
| Retrieval of blood is free of charge | Retrieval of blood may cost up to $55K |
| 1 in 200,000 chance of a person using privately-stored cord blood | Publicly-stored cord blood is 30x more likely to be used than privately-owned blood |
| Recommended for families with a history of genetic disorders | Public banking is recommended by most cord blood experts and professional associations |
Source: American Association of Pediatrics |
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If you wish to donate cord blood to a public bank, make sure that the hospital you’ll be delivering in is affiliated with the National Marrow Donor Program network, which is the only way to donate publicly. The list is available here. If your hospital is not on the list, Cord for Life allows cord blood to be donated via mail.
THE CASE FOR PRIVATE BANKING
As we mentioned above, when you donate cord blood to a private bank, only the donor and his/her immediate family will get access to it. For an initial payment and annual maintenance fees, the cord blood will be frozen indefinitely, until either the donor needs it or the payments are stopped.
According to a policy statement by the American Association of Pediatrics, a family or donor should prefer private banking only when “a family shares a known genetic defect” that may be treated with stem cells. For all other cases, the AAP statement advises parents to avoid using private cord blood banking as “biological insurance.”
Another argument in favor of private banking is the price. Not the price of donating and storing cord blood – which is free in public banks – but the cost of retrieving cord blood –which is free for private banks and very costly in public ones. According to Donna Regan, Director at BetheMatch.org, “Depending on the bank, CBUs (cord blood units) can range between $37,500-$55,000.”
If you decide private banking is the right option for you, here’s our list of the companies that made our cut.
Americord review
Best for Insurance Policy
Screenshot Americordblood.com, April 2020
In operation since 2008, Americord stands out in the cord blood banking industry for its engrafting guarantee. If your engraftment is not successful, Americord will reimburse you $110,000, which can then be used to purchase cord blood from another source. This is very important, as there’s no guarantee that stored cord blood will engraft after being transplanted, even if it’s your own.
Other highlights include:
- Cord Blood 2.0®, Americord’s proprietary collection system, has been proven to gather two times as many stem cells as the technology used by its competitors
- Americord is affiliated with the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) to create tissue-forming technologies using stem blood
- Fully accredited by the AABB and the FDA
- Only cord blood bank to also offer placenta storage
- 2 Payment plans: 1) 20-Year storage for a one-time payment of $3,499; 2) Enrollment fee of $1,499 plus annual payments of $150
- No cancellation fees
Potential customers can use Americord’s banking calculator, available here.
Cord Blood Registry review
Best Overall
Screenshot Cordblood.com, April 2020
With more than 500K stored cord blood samples and an 80K-square-foot laboratory located in Tucson, Arizona, the Cord Blood Registry (CBR) is by far the world’s largest private cord blood bank.
One of the main reasons we chose CBR as our “Best Overall” is its 99 percent recovery rate, the highest of all private banks. In cord blood banking, the term “recovery rate” refers to how many stored cells can actually be used, or “recovered” after years of being frozen and stored. CBR’s rate means that, should you bank your cord blood with them and need to use it in the future, there’s an almost 100 percent chance that the cells will not only be available, but also in prime condition.
Other highlights include:
- Full accreditation by the AABB (American Association of Blood Banks), the FDA, and the CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments)
- 5 years of free storage, via the Newborn Possibilities Program, for families with a qualifying medical need
- Several payment options, with plans starting at $47 per month
- Hospital pick-up available 24/7
- CBR regularly performs FDA-regulated clinical trials to advance cord blood science
- Certified genetic counselors are available to answer any of your questions
- Full refund, plus an additional $50,000 if your cord blood fails to engraft during transplantation
- Blood is processed using the AutoXpress® Platform* (AXP®) — a fully automated technology that’s responsible for CBR’s 99% recovery rate
For more information, visit CBR’s website.
Cryo-Cell review
Best for Quick Engraftment
Screenshot Cryo-cell.com, April 2020
Engraftment is the process by which transplanted cord blood cells begin their transformation into healthy blood cells. The faster an engraftment occurs, the quicker the recovery time, which is essential for some conditions. The process usually lasts 30 days or less, though it may take longer.
We include Cryo-Cell in this “best of” list because of its use of PrepaCyte®-CB banking technology, which has been proven to shorten engraftment times. According to the company’s website: “This means patients may start feeling better more quickly, may spend less time in the hospital and are less likely to suffer from an infection. The ability to get better more quickly and a reduced chance of infection can prove vital in certain cases.”
Other highlights include:
- Offers a $100,000 guarantee in case engraftment is not successful
- One-year of free storage for existing customers who refer family members
- 24/7 Phone support and online service chats
- Fully accredited by the FDA, AABB, and FACT NetCord
- Banking prices begin with a starting fee of $1,675 and annual maintenance fees of $175. Tiered plans are available
- Freezers rely on nitrogen, not electricity, to maintain their temperatures
For more information, visit Cryo-Cell’s website.
ViaCord review
Best for Multiple Treatments
Screenshot Viacord.com, April 2020
ViaCord’s 5-compartment cord blood storage bag, the VC5X, is unique in the industry in that it allows multiple uses without compromising the unused blood’s quality. This technology lets families maximize their investment, especially as compared to the industry standard 2-compartment bags. With ViaCord’s storage bag, up to 5 different treatments can be performed at various times.
Other highlights include:
- The company reports an 88% recovery rate
- Additional services include genomic testing and cord tissue banking
- Full accreditation by the AABB, FDA, and CLIA
- Lab equipped with the same freezers used by the CDC and the NIH
- Initial payment of $1,725, with annual storage fees of $175
- Siblings Connection Program offering 5 years of free cord blood storage for any families with children who could benefit from sibling cord blood
- Lab is open 24/7
- MyAccount, a self-service website where customers can manage their accounts online
For more information, visit ViaCord’s website.
StemCyte review
Best for Hybrid (Public or Private) Banking
Screenshot Stemcyte.com, April 2020
While most cord blood banks are either public or private, StemCyte stands out for being a hybrid: the company operates as both a private and public bank. This way, customers can either store cord blood for their own needs or donate it for general public use or research purposes.
Other highlights include:
- Worldwide shipments to over 350 countries
- Full accreditation by the FDA, AABB, and FACT NetCord
- Because of its hybrid banking system, Americord will offer free public samples if private samples fail to engraft, plus $50,000 in compensation and one year of storage fees
- Tiered plans are available
- Packaged deals begin at $4,225 for 18 years of storage
- StemCyte currently has the most ethnically-diverse pool of cord blood samples, which is ideal for people looking for public cord blood
- Specialists available, via phone call, for any questions you might have
- Discounts available for military personnel, public servants, and medical professionals
- Only company chosen by the Health Resources and Services Administration to help build a national cord blood inventory
For more information, visit StemCyte’s website.
Further Insight Into Our Methodology
In order to thoroughly evaluate and determine our list of recommended cord blood banks currently operating in the US, we spent dozens of hours catching up on what’s being published on the subject in the latest scientific journals, t and reading hundreds of company reviews and customer testimonials. We also interviewed leading experts in cord blood technology, in order to get their take on what customers should know, understand, and avoid. Once the research was complete, we ranked cord blood banks according to the following factors:
Accreditation
Cord blood banking is an extremely complex and sensitive enterprise, which is why proper and stringent regulation is essential. In the US, cord blood banks (both private and public) must be certified by the FDA (whose regulation for private banks is more flexible than for public ones).
But FDA accreditation is only the first, basic step; the most important certifications for cord blood banks are those awarded by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), FACT NetCord, and CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments).
“AABB publishes voluntary standards for cellular therapy services, including cord blood banking. These standards augment, rather than replace, any federal or state requirements,” said Katie Loper, Senior Director of Cellular Therapies at AABB. “Accreditation is granted for 2 years and then banks are reassessed.”
As for the FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapies) and CLIA certifications, these are awarded only to companies that meet the strict processing, safety, and quality standards set by these organizations.
Pricing
As we’ve seen, cord blood banking can be very expensive, especially when done privately – but it’s not cheap if you go the public route either, since retrieving cord blood from a public bank can still cost thousands of dollars.
For this reason, we chose relatively affordable private banks offering several payment plans and financial assistance (such as the programs that provide free storage for patients who could benefit from sibling blood) for families that need it most.
In private cord blood banking, most costs can be broken down as follows: a one-time fee for enrollment, plus annual fees for maintenance. Some companies also work with health insurance companies to help potential customers store their cord blood, so make sure to verify if yours does too.
Collection, Processing & Storage Technology
Most stored cord blood will be frozen for decades, which is why it’s essential that the collection, processing, and storage technologies used by banks are first-rate.
From the bags used to collect the cord blood and the methods used for shipping (priority, medical, or courier) to its processing and storage options, we only chose companies that lead the industry technologically, making sure the samples arrive on time, are always kept at the desired temperature, and are always available for optimum retrieval and future transplantation.
Additional Services
Aside from standard cord blood banking, most reputable cord blood banks offer additional, complementary services. These include:
- Genetic testing
- Financial support
- Free storage for qualifying families
- Online account management
- Phone and online customer support
- Tissue banking
- Direct courier services
- Clinical trials
- Newsletters with the latest cord blood-related articles
Helpful information about Cord Blood Banking
In this section, we’ll summarize the most important aspects related to cord blood banking, so you’ll have a clearer understanding of what it is, how it’s stored, and what it can do for you or someone in need.
What Is Cord Blood?
Cord blood is simply extra blood that is collected from a baby’s umbilical cord and placenta. Besides containing all the same elements as regular blood – red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma – this blood is also replete with hematopoietic cells (HPCs), which are blood-forming cells similar to those found in bone marrow.
Right now, the only proven use of cord blood is for the treatment of blood-related illnesses because of their high concentration of HPCs. Other stem cells (such as those from bone marrow) are able to turn into other organic material such as tissue and brain cells. Because of their capacity to turn into healthy blood cells, HPCs have been found to be extremely beneficial in the treatments for blood-related illnesses, such as leukemia and lymphoma.
At the moment, several clinical trials are being performed to test HPCs’ capacity for converting into other biological material, including brain cells and organic tissue.
How Cord Blood Banking Works
Right after a baby is delivered and the umbilical cord is cut and clamped, a needle is inserted into the cord to gather the extra blood, which would otherwise be discarded. It’s a safe and painless procedure that does not, in any way, interfere with the baby’s delivery. Remember that, for this collection to happen, you must have given your consent beforehand and agreed to have your cord blood banked either publicly or privately (cord blood collection for banking is never done without the mother’s consent).
Ideally, it’s a process that should be arranged with your doctor, hospital, and cord blood bank weeks before labor begins, though this is not always the case
The blood is then collected in a bag specifically designed for long-term blood banking and transported immediately – in temperature-controlled containers – to the cord blood bank of your choosing. Once it arrives at the cord blood bank labs, the blood is processed, labeled, weighed, recorded, and stored in freezers using a process called cryopreservation. Your cord blood will remain frozen until it is either discarded or used for transplantation.
Autologous vs Allogeneic Transplants
Autologous transplantation refers to the process by which blood is collected from a single person and then transfused to that same person whenever the need arises. Basically, it’s the process employed by private banks, in which a patient uses his/her own blood.
Allogeneic transplantation, on the other hand, refers to the transfusion of blood from a “matching” donor into another patient. This is the process used by public cord blood banks.
Regarding proper engraftment – the process by which transplanted stem cells transform themselves into new, healthy blood cells – and donor “matching,” it’s important to know that:
- Cord blood taken from a baby is always a perfect match for the same baby (autologous transfusion)
- Siblings have a 25 percent chance of being a perfect match
- Parents have a 100 percent chance of being a partial match
Diseases That Can Be Treated
“Over 30 years of experience have established cord blood transplantation as safe and effective to replace or supplement loss of hematopoietic cells,” explained Dr. Wise Young, Ph.D., founding director of the W. M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience and a leading expert on cord-blood treatments. “Cord blood has been used to treat other conditions, such as infertility, neurodegenerative diseases, hypoxia-ischemic encephalopathy, and other incurable conditions. More clinical trials are necessary to support these uses of cord blood.”
As of this moment, cord blood has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of nearly 80 blood-related diseases, such as leukemias, lymphomas, and sickle-cell disease. Below, you’ll find a list of all the approved cord-blood treatments:
| CORD BLOOD TREATMENTS APPROVED BY THE FDA  |
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| LEUKEMIAS | |
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| MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES | |
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| LYMPHOMAS | |
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| OTHER BLOOD CELL DISORDERS | |
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| INHERITED RED CELL ABNORMALITIES | |
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| INHERITED PLATELET ABNORMALITIES | |
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| INHERITED IMMUNE SYSTEM DISORDERS | |
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| MYELOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDERS | |
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| PHAGOCYTE DISORDERS | |
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| BONE MARROW CANCERS | |
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| TRANSPLANTS FOR INHERITED IMMUNE SYSTEM DISORDERS | |
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| TRANSPLANTS FOR INHERITED METABOLIC DISORDERS | |
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| SOLID TUMORS | |
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| Source: https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/diseases |
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What To Watch Out For with Cord Blood Banking
One thing that you should keep in mind when deciding whether or not to bank your baby’s cord blood – and if so, whether to do it in a private or public bank – is that cord blood banking should not be used as a form of “biological insurance” against future illnesses. Remember that, right now, the FDA has only approved cord blood for treatments relating to blood illnesses. All other possible treatments are undergoing clinical trials, and are not currently approved.
For this reason, you should beware of “miracle cures.” According to Professor Wise Young, you should “beware of companies that claim real curative effects for the umbilical cord blood or umbilical cord. The cells are not miraculous. Many of the more exciting beneficial effects of cord blood have not yet been proven in a controlled clinical trial and not yet approved by the U.S.”
FAQs about Cord Blood Banking
When should I prefer private banking over public banking?
According to the American Medical Association, only families with a history of genetic disorders (that may be treated with cord blood) should prefer private over public cord blood banking.
Can I donate if I’m having twins or triplets?
Most public banks will not accept cord blood donations from women delivering multiple babies. Private banks, however, may be able to separate the blood from each child and therefore be able to store them individually.
Is it free to donate to a public bank?
Yes. You do not have to pay anything in order to have your baby’s cord blood stored in a public bank. But remember, this blood will be available to anyone who is a match and needs it.
Is it free to retrieve cord blood from a public bank?
No. While it is free to donate, retrieving it may cost somewhere between $35,000 and $55,000.