Why Choose Cells4Life for Cord Blood Banking?

Aug 9, 2023 | Blog, Pregnancy Advice

Words CORD BLOOD BANKING composed of wooden letters. Pregnant woman in the background

As any expectant parent knows, preparing for the arrival of a new baby requires a lot of decision-making. After all, it’s only natural that you want to be sure that you’ve made the right choice for your baby and your family.

That’s why we’ve written this guide for you so that when it comes to private cord blood banking, you can be sure that if you choose Cells4Life, the #1 choice for UK families, it’s the right choice for you.

1. Accessibility

Cells4Life has an extremely accessible service, available at the vast majority of hospitals in the UK, both private and NHS. All you need to do is call our friendly customer service team, who will be happy to guide you through the process. Our cord blood banking service is available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Therefore, you can be confident that we will be there for you no matter when your baby is born.

2. Standards

We are compliant with a range of other accreditations and licences, including the HTA (Human Tissue Authority), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and UK NEQAS standards.

3. Number of Cells Stored:

Our exclusive CellsPlus service, which uses proprietary TotiCyte technology, yields up to 2.2 times more viable stem cells compared to our standard processing service, Cells, which uses the same AXP processing technology trusted by the NHS. Because cell count is often part of clinical guidelines for stem cell transplants, this could be crucial.

4. Multiple Samples

This is one of those things that might not even cross your mind when looking at cord blood banking.  More samples stored means that, if cell count allows, we only need to release the amount of cells needed for a treatment or therapy, leaving the rest in storage for potential future use.

5. Delayed Cord Clamping Compatible

Delayed cord blood clamping often means parents have to choose between storing cord blood or delaying clamping the cord. This is because most stem cell processing systems are unable to deal with the small amount of cord blood left after delayed cord clamping. Upgrading to our CellsPlus service, powered by TotiCyte, can help mitigate the impact of postponing clamping, as it retains up top 2.2X more stem cells post thaw than our industry standard, next best service Cells.

6. Dual Location Storage

We store samples at two sites across the southeast of England. In the unlikely event a site becomes compromised, you can rest assured that you will still be able to access samples stored at the other location.

7. Samples released

Cells4Life has a proven track record of successful sample releases, both for established treatments as well as pioneering clinical trials and studies. Cells4Life has released 19 samples for use.

8. Dedicated Couriers

We only use a dedicated 24/7 courier service for collection and aim to have all samples picked up within 2 hours of your phone call. Your baby’s stem cells are transported safely and directly to our laboratory by couriers who have been specially trained to handle cord blood. Where transit times are lengthy, we also use state-of-the-art temperature-controlled packaging.

9. Reputation and Experience

We are proud that our reputation and service are second to none. Here are some of the ways we stand out from the crowd:

 

  • For clients who choose Multiple Samples, provided cell count allows, there is the option to only release the amount of stem cells required – saving the remainder for potential future treatments
  • Cells4Life sends all samples directly to the treating establishment in a specialist cryogenic shipping device – no additional processing is required
  • Cells4Life does not charge any release fee when you request your baby’s sample for treatment
  • No charge is made for the shipping of the sample for a recognised condition treated by haematopoietic stem cells
  • Cells4Life was the first UK cord blood bank to provide cord tissue for an experimental therapy
  • In August 2021 and subsequently, in October 2021, Cells4Life received two further requests for the release of samples – both for clinical trials for cerebral palsy
What customers who have privately banked with Cells4Life say…

“As a family, we are so happy we went ahead and worked with Cells4life. It goes without saying that the birth of a child is all-consuming, but on the day, they made it a simple and non-intrusive process.”

Dave Berry

Absolute Radio presenter

“I knew it was something we had to do. Leo’s stem cells are now stored and ready should he ever need them. It was reassuring to know that they may even be a match for his big sisters if ever they were ill.”

Kim Bromwich

Paediatric Surgical Nurse & Mum of four

10. Additional Services

We are proud to offer multiple services, allowing you to a wide variety of cells at birth, including cord tissue storage, placenta storage, and amnion storage. In addition, we offer pre and postnatal testing, giving you complete peace of mind.

 

With any decision in pregnancy, it is important to make an informed choice. If you have any questions which have not been covered in this guide, please visit our website or contact us, and we will be happy to help.

FIND OUT MORE, REQUEST YOUR WELCOME PACK TODAY

Everything you need to decide about cord blood banking – and, while you decide, Antenatal by Cells4Life: 18 online classes with Cass McNamara, BBC Scotland’s Ask the Midwife, on birth, feeding, newborn care and recovery. It’s free when you request your welcome pack.

Provide your contact details to request:

- Complete Welcome Pack and Parent’s Guide
- Your discount - save up to £500 on cord blood banking
- Information via email
- Free access to our full 18-class online antenatal course, including a video class on cord blood banking
- A call from one of our specialist advisers

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