Drew Barrymore ‘banked’ her kids’ umbilical cord blood — but is it worth it?

nypost.com:

“The Drew Barrymore Show” that was shared last week.Cord banking entails storing the blood from the umbilical cord so it can be used later to treat diseases, with manystorage companies likening it to a “biological insurance policy” — just in case anything happens later in life that the precious cells are needed for.Stem cells collected from an umbilical cord — as opposed to bone marrow — are particularly useful, as they can work even if some of the proteins don’t match, meaning more people can use them, as well as benefit from a shorter processing time.According to Dr.

Christine Sterling, an OB/GYN and spokesperson for stem storage company Cord Blood Registry (CBR) — which sponsored the segment on Barrymore’s show — the umbilical cord is a rich source of stem cells with the potential to act like a “body’s own personal repair kit.”However, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association say the potential benefits of storing umbilical cord blood as “insurance” are outweighed by the high cost of storing blood that may never be used.

Initial collection and processing alone could cost up to $3,000, according to a 2022 Forbes story and, after that, annual storage fees could reach $1,300 — or more.

Stem cells can be utilized to treat certain conditions — such as some blood and immune disorders — and scientists have long hypothesized their use in therapies to treat spinal cord injuries, some forms of cancer and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease.