Undoubtedly, we have come to a stage where cord blood donation in a cord blood registry has taken up a key role in treating various ailments. Cord blood stem cells from your baby's umbilical cord are considered the building blocks by the medical community. These cells are under the constant scrutiny of medical communities for more latent possibilities of treatments. Researches have brought low cost and effective treatments for diseases like diabetes, blindness, cardiac diseases, spinal cord diseases, Parkinson's diseases, diseases of neurons, cognitive disorders, Alzheimer's disease etc., with stem cell transplants.

"The AXP technology uses a next-generation cryobag for storage that is constructed with a blow-molded process that eliminates seams...[which] is important because it greatly improves the integrity of the bag and significantly decreases the potential for breakage that has been documented to occur in traditional seamed-plastic storage bags." States Phil Coelho, chief executive officer of Themogenesis.

According to an estimate, around 72,000 babies are born in India daily. Therefore, 72,000 umbilical blood cords if not banked are going to the trash bin despite their phenomenal healing potential. So, expectant couples are advised to consider cord blood banking to safeguard their future.

Parents interested for cord blood storage may enroll either with a public cord blood bank, non-profit private bank or with a for-profit private bank. Public banks collect cord blood samples, which are to be used for researches and stored for public use. The public banks do not reserve the sole rights of donors for usage, whereas private banks are formed to preserve rights of donors to use cord blood stem cells exclusively for their family requirements.

CBR's network of cord blood banks is located worldwide, and doctors can locate cord blood units both within the United States, and abroad, such as Australia, Germany, Mexico, and Switzerland. CBR also maintains cooperative relationships with The National Marrow Donor Program, in hopes that more lives can be saved by the use of cord blood and the research being done to fight diseases that know no boundaries.

During processing of cells, red blood cells are separated by some of the banks. However, some banks retain these cells as well. After separation, cells undergo screening process to determine bacterial and viral contamination, sterility, quantity of the cells in samples and viability of the cells for future treatments. The cord blood banks charge annual fees to allow donors to use their storage facilities for cord blood preservation. The annual fees for the cryogenic storing facility are generally charged at the end of each year.

Following the FDA's and other authorities' approval in transfusing cord blood cells in the late 1980s, thousands of umbilical cord blood cell transplants have taken place in the US and have cured many children and adults suffering from various blood related and genetic diseases.