What does cord blood banking cost?

How much does cord blood banking cost?

Maybe your doctor recommended it, or your best friend did it, but you’re still confused… what is cord blood banking anyway? And how much does it cost? Read on to learn about banking newborn stem cells from your baby’s cord blood and cord tissue, and whether including it in your birth plan is right for you.

What is cord blood banking?

Your baby’s umbilical cord is made of blood and tissue — but this isn’t just any blood and tissue. It’s full of stem cells with serious healing potential.

Cord blood stem cells are currently being used to help treat over 80 health conditions, including certain cancers.¹ They can also be used in transplant medicine to help rebuild healthy blood and immune systems. There are more than 100 studies worldwide that have been initiated to investigate cord blood's value in regenerative medicine.² Collecting and storing these powerhouse cells when you give birth is a quick and easy process that could have amazing health benefits for your family, long term.

Factors that affect cord blood banking cost:

The cost of umbilical cord blood banking includes three main components: processing, shipping and storage. At Cord Blood Registry^® (CBR^®), we keep things extremely simple: processing and shipping are both flat rates and storage fees vary depending on how long you want to keep those stem cells safe in our high-tech storage facility in Tucson, AZ. We offer annual storage, 18-year storage and lifetime storage plans, so you can choose the one that fits your family best.

What does newborn stem cell preservation actually cost?

So, how much does cord blood banking cost? Generally speaking, initial fees for the cord blood collection kit, shipping, and processing will cost between $1,500 - $3,000, and annual storage fees are around $175 - $250 per sample.

If that sounds daunting, there are lots of ways to make it more affordable. At CBR, for example, we offer payment plans and discounts that make it easier for families to potentially invest in their future health. We have multiple plans for different family budgets that start at $52/month for the initial fees. If you preserve your cord tissue too, you’ll pay more for storage and processing, but you’ll also enjoy a bundle discount. The best part? No processing fees are due until baby is born, and annual storage fees are billed starting on baby’s first birthday.

Looking for even more ways to save? Always check to see if CBR has a promotion running, plus you can save 69% by paying everything upfront with our lifetime storage plan.

Stem cell cord blood banking cost: an investment with the potential to save lives

The cost of banking cord blood covers the preservation of potentially valuable stem cells for future medical use — and it also helps increase your peace of mind, knowing those stem cells are available for possible use in the future if necessary. Read about the CBR families who have used their banked stem cells in the regulated clinical trials of a range of conditions, including cancer, sickle cell anemia, and cerebral palsy. Babies are 100% matches to their own stem cells and full siblings have up to a 75% chance of being at least a partial match.

Umbilical cord blood and cord tissue banking cost vs. alternatives

As you may know, you can also donate cord blood to a public bank. Public banking is typically free and allows you to give away your cord blood to help others.

Private banking like CBR, on the other hand, reserves your precious stem cells for you and your family, and offers cord tissue banking, as well. Ultimately, whether private banking is worth it depends on what’s best for your family.

Final thoughts: making the right choice for your family

Understanding the cost of cord blood and cord tissue banking is important, and it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Explore CBR’s pricing page to see it broken down step by step.

Don’t miss out on storing your newborn’s precious stem cells! It’s (literally!) a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.