How long can umbilical cord blood be stored?
Cord blood preservation is an emerging health care option. When the child is born, the umbilical cord blood is frozen and can be used in future treatments. While cord blood is not a complete replacement for genomic banking, it has been shown to enable clinical treatments for certain conditions. However, cord blood is not a permanent substance and may lose its effectiveness if not stored properly. In this article, we\’ll discuss how long cord blood can be stored, as well as the considerations and benefits of storage.
Save time limit
The expiry date of cord blood depends on the freezing time and temperature, and currently private and public banks have slightly different expiry dates. According to current research, private cord blood banks are limited to 20 years, while public banks are limited to 10 years. However, there are no clear quality assurance standards for these deadlines. Therefore, umbilical cord blood can generally be frozen and stored for 20-25 years.
Notes on storage
Storing umbilical cord blood is a rigorous task and requires following the following precautions:
1. Freezing treatment: Umbilical cord blood must be frozen and stored within 24 hours, because the longer the delay, the lower the recovery rate of the cytoplasm.
2. Temperature control: The temperature of umbilical cord blood must be maintained at -196°C. A temperature deviation of 1°C during the freezing process will affect the survival rate.
3. Storage location: Cord blood must be stored in fireproof, waterproof and explosion-proof storage facilities to effectively protect its structural integrity.
4. Choose a qualified bank: The final result of effectiveness depends on the quality of the items stored, therefore, it is very important to choose a formal and qualified banking institution.
Benefits of cord blood storage
Banking cord blood can provide many benefits. First, it can serve as a resource for future treatment. Cord blood is an effective treatment option for health problems that traditional treatments cannot address, helping treat conditions such as leukemia, anemia and immune disorders. Secondly, umbilical cord blood does not require the process of finding a match, making it a very convenient option compared to donating bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cells. In addition, by using your own umbilical cord blood, you can avoid risks such as rejection after donation.
Summary
Cord blood can be stored for 20-25 years. For banking institutions and individuals who store cord blood, preserving cord blood is a rigorous undertaking that requires following appropriate precautions. Umbilical cord blood has potential clinical application value. For healthy people, preserving umbilical cord blood is a very practical method.
