Since your baby's stem cells are genetically unique to your child and family, and using cells from a relative is the best source of stem cells in treating diseases, cord blood banking has been called a type of "biological insurance".

Banking cord blood is an important investment that you can make in your family's health and helps ensure the best chance of survival when the cells are used. In fact, newborn stem cells from a relative have resulted in more than double the survival rates compared to stem cells from unrelated donors. And your child and family may have significantly better options in medical treatments or cures for cancers as well as common conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer's.

In addition, they can be immediately available if they are needed which can minimize disease progression. Because the cells found in cord blood are "naive," or undeveloped, the cells do not have to "match" the patient as closely as bone marrow and therefore can be used by siblings or other relatives in many circumstances where bone marrow stem cells cannot.

Lastly, unlike the adult stem cells in your body, your newborn's stem cells are "healthy" as they have not been exposed to environmental contamination or viruses.

Considering that more than 75 diseases are already being successfully treated with stem cells, and the fact that the number will very likely increase in the coming years, cord blood banking is a prudent investment in your family's health.

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