A Guide to Cord Blood Banking in Singapore

Nowadays, new parents have the chance to store the blood from the baby’s umbilical cord for future use. This process, known as cord blood banking, can be considered a sort of insurance for your baby since the extracted blood cells may be used in the treatment of cancers and other diseases in the future, whether for your baby or someone else (like a family relative) in need.  With all the medical technologies and discoveries today, the potential of cord blood banking can be even more promising in the future! In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about cord blood banking, including the benefits, considerations, and places where you can store your baby’s cord blood. 

What is cord blood banking? 

As you can see from its name and much like how you put your money into banks for future use, cord blood banking is storing your baby’s cord blood so you can use it in the future. 

Cord blood is the blood from the baby that is left in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth. It contains special cells called hematopoietic stem cells that can be used to treat diseases of the immune system, genetic disorders, neurologic disorders, and some forms of cancer, including leukaemia and lymphoma. You may check the complete list of diseases that may be treated using stem cells here. In some cases, stem cells serve as the primary treatment, while in others, they are utilised when conventional therapies have failed or as part of experimental research programs.

Why should you do cord blood banking?

Given that your baby’s cord blood is rich in stem cells with the potential to cure various diseases, storing it in a cord blood bank would be a great choice. Chances are, you could save someone who needs a stem cell transplant to fight for their life, whether it is your baby, a family member, or someone else.

Furthermore, the cord blood collection process is seamless and painless for both mother and baby. Your delivery will occur as it is, except that a representative from a cord blood bank or doctor will be there to collect your baby’s cord blood. Do note that this blood will not be taken from your baby directly, but instead from the umbilical cord that will be cut out between you and your baby during delivery. A needle is used to collect at least 40 milliliters of blood from the cord, which is then sealed in a bag and sent to a lab or cord blood bank for testing and storage. The entire process takes just a few minutes and is completely safe. If you decide not to store your baby’s cord blood, it will simply be thrown away with the placenta.

Lastly, medical technology is continuously advancing so it is more than possible that there can be other uses for your baby’s cord blood in the years to come. It would not hurt to plan for the future!

What are the advantages and disadvantages of cord blood banking?

The best thing about storing your baby’s cord blood is that it can potentially save your baby’s life in the future. Finding a perfect genetic match for stem cell transplants is often challenging. However, by storing your baby’s cord blood, he or she can get an autologous treatment in the future where your child uses their own stem cells, meaning there is no risk of the cells being rejected by their body. This significantly reduces the risk of Graft vs. Host disease, a complication that may occur when donor and recipient stem cells are different.

It is important to note, however, that your baby’s cord blood cannot be used to treat genetic diseases or leukaemia, as the same genes would be present in the transplanted cells, rendering the treatment ineffective.

Furthermore, the stem cells from your baby’s cord blood can also be used by other biological family members should the need arise. The likelihood of finding a genetic match is generally higher within the family than among strangers, so it will be easier to find stem cells that could be used for your own treatment or that of other family members in the future. Strangers can also use the stem cells as long as they are of a good match, also known as an allogenic transplant. This versatility makes cord blood banking a valuable resource for both your family and at the same time, provides help to others in need.

How can you do cord blood banking?

It must be done right after your baby’s delivery so you must decide before you undergo labour. Within Week 28 to Week 32 of your pregnancy is an ideal period, and you must first talk with your doctor. Once considered eligible for cord blood banking, you need to sign consent forms and prepare other requirements (such as payment) depending on which cord blood bank you choose. 

Where can you store your baby’s cord blood?

Currently, there are two options for cord blood banking in Singapore – public and private. Public cord blood banking is essentially a donation where you make your baby’s cord blood available for others in need. 

Private cord blood banking, also known as family cord blood banking, is when you store your baby’s cord blood for your family’s future use. 

1. Public cord blood banks 

Think of public cord blood banks as large donation centers. You are giving away your baby’s cord blood so it can be used to help save a stranger’s life. Most healthcare providers encourage you to donate your cord blood to a public bank because it helps others while coming at no risk to you. Every year, thousands of people require stem cell donations, and contributing to a public cord blood bank enhances the likelihood that someone will find a compatible match when they need it most.

In many cases, donating to public cord blood banks is free of charge, but it is advisable to confirm with your maternity hospital regarding any associated delivery costs.

2. Private cord blood banks

Private cord blood banks offer the assurance that the cord blood you store is exclusively reserved for your family’s use. By opting for a family bank, parents secure the option for their baby to utilise its own stem cells in an autologous treatment, or for immediate relatives like siblings or parents to benefit from an allogeneic treatment using these stored stem cells.

Hopefully, no one in your family develops a disease so they will not need to use the cord blood anytime soon. But if the need arises, private cord blood banks allow for long-term storage of your baby’s cord blood and ensure that it remains viable as a source of stem cells for transplant when needed.  

StemCord

One of the leading private cord blood banks in Singapore is StemCord. Founded by a group of esteemed medical doctors, StemCord has been a choice in the industry since 2002. As one of the pioneer cord blood banks in Singapore, it has expanded its reach to Indonesia and the Philippines. By providing reliable and secure cord blood banking services, they give you the confidence that your baby’s cord blood is in expert hands. 

Why choose StemCord?

1. Cultures stem cells in advance 

StemCord not only stores your baby’s cord blood but also the cord tissues. They take the extra step to culture the cord tissue first and then store them in the cell format. This enables better cell yield according to research compared to cells obtained from segmented frozen tissues.

Also, since the cord blood will be stored as stem cells already, you can be sure that they are readily available once the need for them arises. Moreover, with today’s advanced technology, these cord stem cells can be further multiplied through a specialised culturing process. This is particularly beneficial for therapies requiring larger doses of cord stem cells, ensuring patients receive the optimal amount for effective treatment.

2. Guaranteed safety while in storage

In StemCord, you can store your baby’s cord blood (and stem cells) in multiple cryo units, which they will then store in two separate locations. Through this, you are assured the safety of the stem cells since you can still have another bag if ever something happens to the other.

StemCord is the Cord Blood Bank in Singapore that practices dual storage of your baby’s cord blood stem cells in two separate laboratories. This added layer of protection safeguards against fires, natural disasters, and other potential threats. Both storage locations are equipped with advanced environmental monitoring systems and are under constant surveillance, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ensuring the utmost safety and security for your baby’s precious stem cells.

3. Globally recognised and founded by medical experts

When choosing a cord blood bank for your family, it is important to put the credentials of the company to the test. StemCord’s founders are practising medical oncologists, haematologists and physicians with contributions in bone marrow and peripheral stem cell transplantation programmes in Singapore.

StemCord is a private Cord Blood Bank licensed by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore. It is also accredited by NetCord-FACT, a prestigious international organization specific to Cord Blood Banks. 

StemCord constantly strives to achieve high international standards and quality of service for cord blood banking. 

4. Additional protection with StemCord Bonus Covers

And that’s not all! StemCord also offers several valuable programs designed to support you and your family in the future. While terms and conditions apply, knowing about the existence of these programs can provide peace of mind.

• StemCord Quality PLUS: Covers expenses for securing an alternative stem cell source for your child.
• StemCord Transplant Medicare: Provides financial support for medical expenses related to an autologous stem cell transplant.
• StemCord AssuredPlus: Provides a confirmatory HLA High-Resolution Test, viability, and CFU Assay on the cord blood unit(s) upon release.
• StemCord Care21: Ensures coverage for your child’s cord blood storage until they turn 21 in the event of the passing of either biological parent.
• StemCord WorldWidePlus: Covers third-party courier charges for transporting the cord blood unit overseas for treatment.
• Seamless process from signing up to baby’s delivery day

Stemcord prioritises making the entire cord blood banking process seamless. Once you sign up, a StemCord agent will assist you with all the necessary paperwork and provide you with a Collection Box to take to your maternity hospital on your delivery date. You can inform your doctor that you have signed up with Stemcord and then that is it! You will not have to worry about anything else. If you would like some updates on the status of your baby’s cord blood storage, you can simply contact their 24-hour hotline+65 6471 2002 after the delivery of your child.

For Singapore citizens, you can also use your Child Development Account (CDA) funds to pay for both the enrollment and storage fees, making the process even more convenient and accessible. 

In a nutshell, is cord blood banking worth it?

Cord blood banking is investing in your baby’s health, so yes, it is worth it in our opinion. With the continuous advancements in medical technology, the potential benefits of storing cord blood are ever-growing. In Singapore, reputable private cord blood banks like StemCord provide reliable options to secure your baby’s health.

If you do not want to incur an extra expense by doing cord blood banking, you may opt to donate your baby’s cord blood to public cord blood banks. This choice is cost-free and painless, and most importantly, offers the chance to save others’ lives.