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nyteacher13
Three Under Four!!! :-)
Member since 8/06 6405 total posts
Name:
~ THERESA ~
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ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
I was just browsing the Cord Blood website, and thought, hey, what the heLL. I'll sign up. I got to the second to last page and saw that it was $2100.00 for the first year collection/storage and 125.00 for each year just to store.
Please convince me that this is a great idea... that way, I can convince dh...
Thanks!
T (and  )
Message edited 8/31/2008 1:40:50 PM.
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Posted 8/31/08 1:32 PM  |
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JandJ1224
Member since 6/06 5911 total posts
Name:
Jannette
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Re: Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
which company?
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| Posted 8/31/08 1:34 PM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
I actually decided not to do it. My ob talked me out of it - he said, put the $ in a 529 plan it will be more useful for DC.
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| Posted 8/31/08 1:35 PM |
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nyteacher13
Three Under Four!!! :-)
Member since 8/06 6405 total posts
Name:
~ THERESA ~
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Re: Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Posted by JandJ1224
which company?
craap, no. it was Cord Blood Registry.
Just looked at ViaCord's website, and the fees were the same BUT they have payment plans that seem more reasonable.
Message edited 8/31/2008 1:41:42 PM.
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| Posted 8/31/08 1:35 PM |
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JandJ1224
Member since 6/06 5911 total posts
Name:
Jannette
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Re: Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
We used CBR, we feel its like an insurance policy. You pay for life insurance hoping to never use it. It was kind of like if we decided not to and god forbid we could have used it, how would we deal with that. You should be able to find some kind of coupon code or something that will make it a little cheaper. Good luck with your decision
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| Posted 8/31/08 1:38 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
at CBR, there's a $155 discount which brings it down to $1995... not like that's much of an improvement... but hey, it IS $105!
At any rate, there are also less expensive cord blood banks... they just don't have the track record of viacord and CBR. Frankly, while we're going with CBR, I always have a  thought in my mind that we're paying for all of the commericals in addition to the service. (for viacord it's all of the ads in Dr offices).
here is a non-profit website with an unbiased review of the private banks available, their approx costs, and their track records
private cord banking info
As for your question 'why do it?', well, I'll give you my 2 cents.
I'm a medical researcher (Trained initially in biochemistry and molecular pathology, now doing drug abuse/neurosci research) While the medical field is sort of undecided on the importance of banking, and some Dr's will actually disuade you from investing the $$$, I believe that view is rather short-sighted... mainly becuase they are basing that decision on TODAY'S applications of stem cells, not tomorrows. The cells can be stored for decades... How many applications will there be when our kids are 20? 30? later? There is already rumbling in the research community that cord stem cells could be used to repair the heart following a heart attack.
I'm viewing cord blood not as insurance against a handful of horrible childhood diseases (leukemia/sickle cell...), rather a possible insurance policy against MAJOR adult diseases (many cancers, heart disease, progressive autoimmune diseases).
Totally worth the $$ IMO 
As my friend (another researcher and a mom of 2) says 'being in our field, there is NO WAY we could NOT bank our blood in good concience.
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| Posted 8/31/08 1:54 PM |
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
My head is spinning thinking about making all of these decisions!
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| Posted 8/31/08 2:24 PM |
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want2beamom
Love my boys soooo much!!!
Member since 8/06 10164 total posts
Name:
True love doesn't end with happily ever after...
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Do it....if you are looking into it now, you don't want to have any regrets about now doing it in the future. And just think, if you do it for #1, by the time you have #2 you will save $450 because you are already enrolled
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| Posted 8/31/08 4:55 PM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Posted by wannabemom
at CBR, there's a $155 discount which brings it down to $1995... not like that's much of an improvement... but hey, it IS $105!
At any rate, there are also less expensive cord blood banks... they just don't have the track record of viacord and CBR. Frankly, while we're going with CBR, I always have a thought in my mind that we're paying for all of the commericals in addition to the service. (for viacord it's all of the ads in Dr offices).
here is a non-profit website with an unbiased review of the private banks available, their approx costs, and their track records
private cord banking info
As for your question 'why do it?', well, I'll give you my 2 cents.
I'm a medical researcher (Trained initially in biochemistry and molecular pathology, now doing drug abuse/neurosci research) While the medical field is sort of undecided on the importance of banking, and some Dr's will actually disuade you from investing the $$$, I believe that view is rather short-sighted... mainly becuase they are basing that decision on TODAY'S applications of stem cells, not tomorrows. The cells can be stored for decades... How many applications will there be when our kids are 20? 30? later? There is already rumbling in the research community that cord stem cells could be used to repair the heart following a heart attack.
I'm viewing cord blood not as insurance against a handful of horrible childhood diseases (leukemia/sickle cell...), rather a possible insurance policy against MAJOR adult diseases (many cancers, heart disease, progressive autoimmune diseases).
Totally worth the $$ IMO
As my friend (another researcher and a mom of 2) says 'being in our field, there is NO WAY we could NOT bank our blood in good concience.
Thank you for posting this info - it will be helpful to me when I have to make this decision again with #2.
I can't remember everything my OB said b/c it was a long time ago but, some of the points I remember were 1. that the cord blood most likely cannot be used for the child it came from...2. that there isn't enough research right now to demonstrate how long the blood can be stored effectively...3. that the public bank has more than enough should you actually need it and if u donate to them they guarantee you and it is run by the hospital and also more likely to find a match...and 4. that it is not clear there would ever be enough should u need as an adult...
Are these things true? TIA! 
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| Posted 8/31/08 9:26 PM |
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LIMOMx2
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Member since 5/05 24989 total posts
Name:
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
My OB and I talked about and I did my own research and decided against it. We will bank in a public bank instead.
I love how they all their commercials make you feel so guilty if you don't do it.
Do your own research!!
The people that answer the phones get a commission so they can be reltentless with calling, etc. So annoying and really has nothing to do with this but I am venting 
Check it out for yourself and watch who sponsors the website. Go to a non biased site.
I just read that Cord Blood/Stem Cells only last 10 yrs and beyond that they have no idea. So even if something happens down the line, they probably won't be any good.
Message edited 8/31/2008 9:51:04 PM.
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| Posted 8/31/08 9:46 PM |
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snowflake08
Love my boys!!!
Member since 8/07 5148 total posts
Name:
Laura
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
i think of it as insurance
you pay for it and hope you never have to use it
but g-d forbid you need it, it is there
there are SO many diseases that can be cured using the cord blood
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| Posted 8/31/08 9:56 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Posted by itsbabytime
Thank you for posting this info - it will be helpful to me when I have to make this decision again with #2.
I can't remember everything my OB said b/c it was a long time ago but, some of the points I remember were 1. that the cord blood most likely cannot be used for the child it came from...2. that there isn't enough research right now to demonstrate how long the blood can be stored effectively...3. that the public bank has more than enough should you actually need it and if u donate to them they guarantee you and it is run by the hospital and also more likely to find a match...and 4. that it is not clear there would ever be enough should u need as an adult...
Are these things true? TIA!
#1 you mean if the baby has a condition that requires cord blood, his/her own cord blood cannot be used? Total BS/misinformation. cord blood is the same as an organ used for transplant. There are molecules on the cells that identify them as being the childs, and barring an identical twin's cord blood, only that child's cord blood is a perfect match that doesn't require tons of hardcore medications to prevent 'rejection'. Using a public bank, you may find something that's a close match, but it's never as good as your own blood or an identical twin's.
#2 well, it's hard, becuase the technology isn't that old. It will last at least 20 years, I believe the current research proves (becuase the oldest cord blood samples are about 20 years old). as time goes by, they can test older and older samples for viability... but as of yet, there ARE no older samples to test, hence the problem. but that doesn't mean they're automatically useless after 20 years.
#3 there aren't many public banks. I've been told by other LIF'ers that they couldn't donate to a public bank because there isn't one in their area. To boot, I've also heard that hospitals will frequently not collect cord blood unless it's during standard business hours, since a courier will not rush your sample 24/7 as with a private bank (too expensive).
As for 'matching', you always 'match yourself. you NEVER perfectly match a cord blood sample that isn't either yours or your identical twins...
A public bank could have millions of samples, and simply put, none will be a perfect match. no matter what. MHC molecules (those things that identify cord cells as yours) are like finger prints... everyone has a unique one.
#4 This is CURRENTLY true. Except this takes for granted that science will not progress at all over the next few decades. Research is always working on increasing yield and growing / expanding cell #'s outside of the body. Also, stem cell delivery techniques to areas of concern (heart, brain) are improving as we speak. So, I suspect when our kids are adults, their stem cells will still be viable, and technology will have advanced sufficiently that the # of cells in the sample will be sufficient for adult treatment.
HTH!
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| Posted 8/31/08 10:08 PM |
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LIMOMx2
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Member since 5/05 24989 total posts
Name:
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
The research I have done said anything passed 10 yrs they don't know how the cells will do.
I have heard many cases of not being able to use the cord blood/stem cells on the same person it came from. So it is very possible.
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| Posted 8/31/08 10:12 PM |
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LIMOMx2
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Member since 5/05 24989 total posts
Name:
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Quote from Kidshealth.org
In addition, it's not known whether stem cells taken from a relative offer more success than those taken from an unrelated donor. Stem cells from cord blood from both related and unrelated donors have been successful in many transplants. That's because blood-forming stem cells taken from cord blood are naive (a medical term for early cells that are still highly adaptable and are less likely to be rejected by the recipient's immune system). Therefore, donor cord-blood stem cells do not need to be a perfect match to create a successful bone marrow transplant.
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| Posted 8/31/08 10:14 PM |
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megsm3
Life is Good!!
Member since 8/06 3867 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Posted by snowflake08
i think of it as insurance
you pay for it and hope you never have to use it
but g-d forbid you need it, it is there
there are SO many diseases that can be cured using the cord blood
This was our feeling on it
Definitely check out other companies the pricing can be competitive. We used LifeLine and their fees were less than what you posted.
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| Posted 8/31/08 10:21 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Posted by 5ofClubs
The research I have done said anything passed 10 yrs they don't know how the cells will do.
I have heard many cases of not being able to use the cord blood/stem cells on the same person it came from. So it is very possible.
actually, within a couple min on pubmed, I found a 2003 PNAS paper (a highly respected journal) that shows they are viable for at least 15 years.... pnas link
I know when I did my own research, I found up to 20... but I didn't save the manuscript, and I don't feel like pubmedding the evening away. (I'm still cooking dinner, believe it or not  )
the ONLY reason a person's stem cells could not be used for them is becuase the sample was mishandled and becuase of that, the cells were either contaminated (with bacteria), or had reduced viability or were completely dead. no other reason. There is NEVER EVER a reason that someone else's cells would be better than your own. I'll stand by that statement stubbornly, since it is the first thing you learn in grad immunology
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| Posted 8/31/08 10:36 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Posted by 5ofClubs
Quote from Kidshealth.org
In addition, it's not known whether stem cells taken from a relative offer more success than those taken from an unrelated donor. Stem cells from cord blood from both related and unrelated donors have been successful in many transplants. That's because blood-forming stem cells taken from cord blood are naive (a medical term for early cells that are still highly adaptable and are less likely to be rejected by the recipient's immune system). Therefore, donor cord-blood stem cells do not need to be a perfect match to create a successful bone marrow transplant.
this IS true.... but they aren't discussing your OWN cells treating you, they're discussing a siblings/relatives vs a donor at a public bank. the only sibling that is a perfect donor is an identical twin, since you would share identical MHC molecules. while stem cells are naive, they DO still require matching, so it's not like they're red blood cells... completely lacking identifying markers of the individual.
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| Posted 8/31/08 10:38 PM |
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DandN
Twins are here!
Member since 3/06 3597 total posts
Name:
Deirdre
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
We used CBR and paid $3000 and the blood will be stored for 18 years. I didnt want to have a yearly or monthly fee. My doctor said that he would have done it in a heartbeat for all of his kids if the technology had been available at the time.
I spent the money on banking the cord blood and saved on other things.
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| Posted 8/31/08 11:21 PM |
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Faithx2
All good things in 2016!!
Member since 8/05 20181 total posts
Name:
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
We've had 3 babies saved in our OB practice alone. When I had my DD my doctors were on the fence in rec it. Now after seeing their patients saved they highly recommend it. It's a personal decision. You need to sit down and do your research. We have a blood disorder in our family so it was an easy decision for us. We are going with Viacord. I had a $250 off coupon...
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| Posted 9/1/08 7:43 AM |
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Faithx2
All good things in 2016!!
Member since 8/05 20181 total posts
Name:
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
I don't want to turn this into a debate. But reading this was a great help.
Your baby's cord blood is a valuable source of non-controversial stem cells; the building blocks of our blood and immune systems. Cord blood stem cells, like bone marrow stem cells, are free of political and ethical debate. The value and benefits of stem cells found in umbilical cord blood are clear; cord blood collection saves lives today and medical researchers are exploring new uses for umbilical cord blood stem cells for tomorrow, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Storing your newborn's cord blood means that should there be a need, your baby will have a source of stem cells that is an exact match, with no risk of rejection. There is also a strong possibility that his/her siblings will be a match as well. This is important because clinical studies demonstrate that stem cell transplants are twice as successful when the stem cells come from a family member rather than from a non-relative (e.g., a public bank). Siblings are often a 75% match if not higher.
List of treatable cancers/disorders
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Burkitt's lymphoma
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML)
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Hodgkin's lymphoma
Langerhan's cell histiocytosis
Lymphomatoid granulomatosis
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)
Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes
Amegarakyocytic thrombocytopenia
Autoimmune neutropenia (severe)
Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia
Cyclic neutropenia
Diamond-Blackfan anemia
Evan's syndrome
Fanconi anemia
Glanzmann's disease
Juvenile dermatomyositis
Kostmann's syndrome
Red cell aplasia
Schwachman syndrome
Severe aplastic anemia
Congenital sideroblastic anemia
Thrombocytopenia with absent radius (TAR syndrome)
Dyskeratosis congenita
Blood Disorders/Hemoglobinpathies
Sickle-cell anemia (hemoglobin SS)
HbSC disease
Sickle âo Thalassemia
á-thalassemia major (hydrops fetalis)
â-thalassemia major (Cooley's anemia)
â-thalassemia intermedia
E-âo thalassemia
E-â+ thalassemia
Metabolic Disorders
Adrenoleukodystrophy
Gaucher's disease (infantile)
Metachromatic leukodystrophy
Krabbe disease (globoid cell leukodystrophy)
Gunther disease
Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome
Hurler syndrome
Hurler-Scheie syndrome
Hunter syndrome
Sanfilippo syndrome
Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome
Mucolipidosis Type II, III
Alpha mannosidosis
Neumann Pick Syndrome, type A and B
Sandoff Syndrome
Tay Sachs Disease
Batten disease (inherited neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis)
Lesch-Nyhan disease
Immunodeficiencies
Ataxia telangectasia
Chronic granulomatous disease
DiGeorge syndrome
IKK gamma deficiency
Immune dysregulation polyendocrineopathy X-linked
Mucolipidosis, Type II
Myelokathesis
X-linked immunodeficiency
Severe combined immunodeficiency
Adenosine desaminase deficiency
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
X-linked agammaglobulinemia
X-linked lymphoproliferative disease
Omenn's syndrome
Reticular dysplasia
Thymic dysplasia
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency
Other
Osteopetrosis
Message edited 9/1/2008 7:53:36 AM.
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| Posted 9/1/08 7:51 AM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
It's obviously a personal decision, but I wanted to share why I decided to do it - my aunt is head pediatric nurse at a hospital (where a lot of you are delivering probably) so I asked her if it was BS. If you asked her 10 yrs ago she wouldn't have been able to give solid advice, but she say now they're starting to see the cord blood save children's lives. End of story for me.
I did Viacord - 6 $350 payments (actually just made my last one YAY!)
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| Posted 9/1/08 9:19 AM |
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itsbabytime
LIF Adult
Member since 11/05 9644 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
If I remember correctly one of the reasons why you would not be able to use the blood of the child for the child is that the blood would be "contaminated" with the same illness you were trying to cure...a very simplistic way of explaining i know.
But, thanks for the info...I usually err on the side of over -cautious so i will prob bank for baby #2. I did donate to the public bank for baby #1 and i am happy with that decision as well.
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| Posted 9/1/08 11:34 AM |
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babyElaina
LIF Adolescent
Member since 4/07 618 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
We did it and used Viacord. We paid the average $2000 and pay a yearly $125 for a storage fee.
It's like having any kind of insurance, you buy it even if you you never think you will need it, and I hope we don't ever need to use it but just knowing its there is a relief!
It is a personal decision but totally worth it in my book!
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| Posted 9/1/08 12:37 PM |
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DRMom
Two in Blue
Member since 5/05 20223 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
We will do it if we can afford it-with twins it is expensive. Although it occured to me that twins might be able to more readily use each others CB? Fraternal twins...not identical
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| Posted 9/1/08 2:16 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: ViaCord Cord Blood Banking... $2100.00 fee for first year? Convince me to sign up...
Posted by melijane
We will do it if we can afford it-with twins it is expensive. Although it occured to me that twins might be able to more readily use each others CB? Fraternal twins...not identical
unfortunately, not really. it's the same as any other brother or sister.
BUT, I wonder what deals they have (check out the different collection companies) for couples expecting twins. there must be SOME discount... after all, the 2 samples will be collected, transported, and stored together......
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| Posted 9/1/08 2:37 PM |
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