Bank on it!
We asked local stem cell storage banks to give us the nitty gritty on stem cell banking.
From cellphone banking to cell banking, we live in an age of increased convenience. Within 30 seconds of your baby’s birth you can ensure their umbilical cord blood cells are “banked” to protect them against future health issues. Withdrawals at this type of bank are only for emergencies. Health emergencies. Think of it as an insurance fund for major health crises in your child’s life. Stem cells are like magicians that can transform into all the cells that make up the human body – organs, skin, tissue, blood, muscle, bones and nerves. So, if your baby ever gets a major illness, you can withdraw the cells from your “bank” for a life-saving transplant.
WHAT IS STEM CELL STORAGE?
After you give birth, your doctor or midwife collects the umbilical cord blood and tissue. You then send it to the stem cell bank in a special kit. The bank freezes the blood and tissue and places it in liquid nitrogen vapours in state-of-the-art storage tanks. The cells are stored until the day you need to use them for a medical issue.
Collecting umbilical cord blood and tissue at birth is free of ethical concerns, as the umbilical cord and placenta are normally discarded by the hospital as medical waste.
HOW ARE THE CELLS EXTRACTED?
After your baby’s birth, the umbilical cord is cut and clamped. Within
30 to 60 seconds, your doctor or midwife inserts a needle into the umbilical vein, and blood is collected into a sterile collection bag.
HOW DO YOU REGISTER WITH THE STEM CELL BANK?
“It is advisable to register with a cell bank well in advance of the birth, so that you can have your collection kit delivered in good time,” recommends Erna West, CEO and founder of Celvi, a private stem cell storage bank and donor registry. ”Once your registration and payment is received, the collection kit will be sent to you. You must take the collection kit box to the birth, so that your gynae or midwife can collect the stem cells within seconds of your baby being born.”
Shelley Bredin, MD of Netcells, agrees and recommends registering one to two months before the birth. ”Once the collection is done, check that the kit is packaged correctly, then notify the stem cell bank that it is ready for collection, so they can send a courier to collect the sample,” she says.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
NETCELLS The cost depends on the product that you choose and how long you choose to store for. Storing the umbilical cord blood for 20 years is roughly R25 000 and cord blood and tissue for the same period is R30 000. Discounts are given at certain banks for various medical aids, so you could pay less. Netcells also offers 12-, 24- and 60-month payment plans for those who can’t afford the fees upfront.
CELVI It costs R23 805 with an annual storage fee of R460. Storage is on a payas-you-go basis. It’s crucial to ensure long-term storage of these valuable cells, which is why storage fees are payable annually.
MUST YOUR DOCTOR SAVE YOUR BABY’S UMBILICAL TISSUE AS WELL AS CORD BLOOD?
“It is beneficial to store both the cord blood and cord tissue,” Shelley says, ”as they contain different cell types that have different uses. The umbilical cord tissue is filled with mesenchymal stem cells – also called MSCs – and the umbilical cord blood contains haematopoietic or blood stem cells. MSCs are being researched for a wide variety of aesthetic and medical conditions. Unlike the umbilical cord blood, the MSCs can be used many times, as they are easily expandable.”
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AT THE BIRTH IN TERMS OF COLLECTING STEM CELLS?
Erna says, “We provide parents with a collection kit with all the consumables that a healthcare practitioner will need to collect cord blood and tissue. Collection is 100 percent safe for you and your baby and takes about 10 minutes.
WHAT’S THE IDEAL AMOUNT OF UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD FOR THE DOCTOR TO DRAW?
Shelley recommends between 80 and 100ml of umbilical cord blood, while Erna says, “150 to 200ml if possible.”
WHAT ILLNESSES DOES STEM CELL STORAGE BENEFIT?
Umbilical cord blood contains blood stem cells, which are used to regenerate bone marrow and treat over 80 bloodrelated diseases such as leukaemia, lymphoma, thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia.
Researchers are also exploring ways to treat cerebral palsy, strokes, autism, hearing loss and type 1 diabetes using cord tissue. Umbilical cord tissue is currently used in studies on multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis, and sports and heart muscle injuries.
WHO CAN USE THE BANKED STEM CELLS?
Shelley says, “With a private stem cell bank, the stem cells are saved for the future use of the baby, as they are 100 percent match for that child. But you are able to donate the stored stem cells to whomever you wish. There is a 25 percent chance the stem cells will be a match for a sibling, and a one in eight chance they will be a match for a parent.”
HOW DO YOU WITHDRAW THE STORED STEM CELLS WHEN YOUR CHILD OR A RELATIVE NEEDS THEM IN FUTURE?
“Usually, your treatment doctor and the laboratory’s medical director will arrange the whole process,” Erna explains. ”Parents must provide consent for the release of the stem cells for treatment, whether it is for the family or for an unrelated patient.” At private stem cell banks, cells are saved for your baby and family only.
Celvi claims to be the only hybrid bank in Africa that allows parents to save the cord blood and tissue for the baby or family or donate them to anyone in need of a life-saving stem cell transplant.