It was never worth it to begin with, stop paying now and salvage what you can.

I have a major autoimmune disease, and a family history of childhood leukemia (that thankfully went into and remained in remission). I asked my three specialists (all involved in research) about banking cord blood when I was pregnant ten years ago. They all said not to bother.

I had a bone marrow stem cell transplant last winter, so I asked if there was value in taking more than needed and banking it. Again, I was told it’s not worth it.

What? Who falls for this scam?

Anonymous wrote:I’m like you op but my kid is only 15. I’m going to keep paying. It’s Ike an insurance policy.

Same - for some it is an emotional issue. Much more has been wasted purely on emotions or bad habits. Not letting go yet. I don't feel like we are out of the woods. Lots of health trauma.

You do know that for a lot of leukemias and genetically based disease the cord blood can’t be used on your child? Only a sibling or relative that needs it?

We kept paying for cord blood for first nine years until we read an article came out saying that people accessing their cord blood were finding it to be insufficient amount to anything meaningful with (yet they weren’t told that in advance!) or the cord blood was damaged/spoiled.

If your child is white, don’t bother. There are plenty to matches already.

I would not. Look into what diseases are even able to be treated with cord blood and if your child isn't high risk for any of them stop paying.

Are there studies about how long it is good for? Maybe it's not effective after 20 years?

I stopped paying like a decade ago and every year they send me a bill that I ignore. Not at all clear what they are doing with it, they keep saying I’m at risk of it being thrown out.

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't keep paying for it. That said, I would never have paid for it in the first place. Imagine what you could have spent that $2,500 on(plus any initial costs, plus compounding interest)!!!

Oh hindsight is yeah. At the time, we were dealing with her mother's cancer in pregnancy so we were probably a little more sensitive about taking precautions.

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't keep paying for it. That said, I would never have paid for it in the first place. Imagine what you could have spent that $2,500 on(plus any initial costs, plus compounding interest)!!!

Said like someone to whom $5,000 makes a difference.

I’m like you op but my kid is only 15. I’m going to keep paying. It’s Ike an insurance policy.

No, I wouldn't keep paying for it. That said, I would never have paid for it in the first place. Imagine what you could have spent that $2,500 on(plus any initial costs, plus compounding interest)!!!

It's $125 a year. I get billed every year automatically (my card gets charged). DD is now 20.

Part of me thinks it's a waste of money. The other part of me fears the moment I cancel she'll get diagnosed with something that having her cord blood for could be life-saving.