It's been over four years since No. 1 asked, so I'm asking for an update: should we bank or donate our baby's cord blood? Or just do nothing? [more inside]
posted by ajr on Apr 21, 2009 - 9 answers

Who is the best cord blood bank? [more inside]
posted by sublivious on Mar 4, 2008 - 4 answers

I've been reading up a bit lately on cord blood. It's kind of a cool idea, to capture stem cells your child may need someday -- kinda like always having "spare parts" available if anything goes wrong and technology continues to innovate. But I get the feeling that it costs a grand or so to start, and hundreds per year. I also hear that it may only help in childhood leukemia instances, so I'm on the fence. Is it worth the money? Are the applications for it real and tangible? Is it a smart insurance policy at this point or a silly thing worrisome parents are being bilked over?
posted by mathowie on Feb 25, 2005 - 25 answers