Fees for private cord blood storage

[veronarose]

Hi,
I can't seem to find any fee list for the companies that do private cord blood storage, does anyone have any prices on this service?

Thanks

[ElastiGirl]

From what I remember it's between $3000-$4000 depending on the company you go with.

[veronarose]

From what I remember it's between $3000-$4000 depending on the company you go with.
Thanks crickets ;)
Is it a one-off fee or do you pay something annually for the storage?

[ElastiGirl]

I think it depends on which company. A couple were all inclisive, but the higher end of $3000 while the other one you did pay a storage fee every year, I think it was around $200.

You have to double check as I'm going of the top of my head.

[Chubear]

The ones at the pregnancy and baby expo quoted me about 3k one off payment , it was more if you paid it off. Can't remember now, there may have been a small yearly but I think not?
Ring and ask I reckon, them you can ask any other qs you may have

[Tatiana28]

I think we paid 2700 upfront. Got a special at the babyexpo. They promised a $50 pamper package too, which never eventuated. But oh well, more important things to worry about..
There were no storage fees and they keep it for 18 years.

[veronarose]

Thanks everyone :hugs:

[zombiekitty]

We paid $3300.00 (one off payments) per banking for our 2 kids.
There were other payment options though it was cheaper to pay in full.

[BreithCuidiu]

I've worked for both companies and they're both massive rip offs. One of them had very dodgy practices by collectors. I'd be concerned if my child ever needed the cord blood given some of the things I witnessed and was told... Don't waste your money. Put it towards health care or education.

[HJL5mum]

I've worked for both companies and they're both massive rip offs. One of them had very dodgy practices by collectors. I'd be concerned if my child ever needed the cord blood given some of the things I witnessed and was told... Don't waste your money. Put it towards health care or education.

Yikes!! That's quite scary to know. I did cord blood banking....hope I didn't go with the company that had dodgy practices!!

[BreithCuidiu]

One company who advertise here employed a collector in South Australia who told me that when there was no cord blood in the cord she would syringe the left over blood out of the kidney dish that the placenta and cord were in. Yuck! Another collector in Queensland would regularly arrive after the placenta and cord were delivered and discarded. She would scoop it out of the bin and collect the blood anyway.

Wouldn't want to have to refund anyone would they?

[HJL5mum]

One company who advertise here employed a collector in South Australia who told me that when there was no cord blood in the cord she would syringe the left over blood out of the kidney dish that the placenta and cord were in. Yuck! Another collector in Queensland would regularly arrive after the placenta and cord were delivered and discarded. She would scoop it out of the bin and collect the blood anyway.

Wouldn't want to have to refund anyone would they?

Thankfully my obstetrician was the one who collected the cord blood. I went with a company that was recommended by my OBG. The company we went with had sent the cord blood collection package to the hospital prior to my due date with specific instructions. At the time of my labour, the package was there and my OBG collected the blood.

Bottom line - go with a reputable company recommended by your OBG and if possible, have your OBG (who you trust) collect the blood during labour.

[pav]

We stored our daughters cord blood with Cell Care. We paid the $2995 upfront as that was the cheapest options. (here is their pricing (http://www.cellcareaustralia.com/get-started/our-pricing.aspx))We found their service very professional and will defiantly use them again. We chose to use their services to collect the blood. During the course of my wife's pregnancy we received about 3 or 4 calls to keep us updated. We were assigned a midwife by the name of Lyn and she did a great job on the day. She collected plenty of blood and it all went really well. The fee covers storage for 18 years.

I guess everyone will have their own experience depending on how things goes. We understood the risk that they may not be able to collect any blood and that we would still have to pay some of the costs.

In my opinion, if you can afford it then you should do it. For us, it's an insurance policy for our daughters health. Who knows what medical advances there will be in 18 years. It may cure them of a disease, or help them beat cancer. Because cord blood cells are the building blocks of cells, they potentially (with future research) can be transformed to become any other cell. Three grand is a lot of money, but if you consider that it could save a life then I think it's worthwhile. Just spend $3k less on your next car and your covered!

Anyway here is Cell Care's payment plans:
http://www.cellcareaustralia.com/get-started/our-pricing.aspx

If you do decide to go with them, I can 'refer a friend' and you get a $125 discount on any payment plan. PM me if you're interested.

[kates192]

I have to ask Breith... Which company had the dodgey prac's?
It's all very well to say invest in health care instead, but when you have a nephew who can directly benefit from treatment with stem cells that's a bit tough to swallow Plus, who knows, you may need it for your own child?
:(

[giftedbirth]

I read through Cell Care and their info reproduced on the BubHub section and I was taken aback by the misinformation! Collection is not risk free, it does disrupt birth process and the blood in the placenta and cord are only medical waste when natural anatomy and phsyiology is disrupted by surgical clamping.

I understand why families with members who could benefit from stem cells exploring their options. But these families deserve to have the information presented about the baby and its blood.

Placental transfusion at the time of birth is part of placental mammal birth. The blood, stem cells and immune cells belong to that baby to achieve normal state of health. Cord clamping and blood collection does alter this.

Blood collected after the placental transfusion and physiological cord closure has occured is the only real 'waste' in the scenario of a living baby.

Parents have the responsibility to consider no clamping along with consenting to routine cord clamping and immediate clamping for collection purposes. Only then can informed decision making occur.

Redirecting the blood and depriving newborns of the full blood volume does have many real and potential risks - I won't go into the science of it all, but hypoxia, hypovolemia, hypoglycaemia, ischemia, anaemia are attributed to unnatural clamping of the cord.

K

[BreithCuidiu]

The one with the dodgy practices is heavily advertised at the moment. I am unable to say which one.

And Kates192 - My son has a lifelong life limiting illness. I thank God that I did not have his cord blood stored with that company as the practices are revolting.

[sophie85]

We were all for cord blood storage/donation until I did a little more research and read this article.....

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmidwifethinking.com%2F2011%2F 02%2F10%2Fcord-blood-collection-confessions-of-a-vampire-midwife%2F&h=dAQC6-QAGAQC20iumffoxvQQvOGwGVeT2jCU5IYoHxAGtVQ

I would urge anyone keen on extracting cord blood to have a look.

Sorry to put a downer on the topic :(