Does the second child also need to save cord blood if the first child already has?
May 04, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lv Aiming
Introduction
Even if the first child has stored umbilical cord blood, it is generally still necessary to store it for the second child. Umbilical cord blood contains abundant hematopoietic stem cells, which can rebuild the body's immune system and blood-forming function, treating disorders such as blood diseases and congenital immune deficiencies. Since the two children may have different blood types, storing cord blood for the first child does not guarantee compatibility for the second, so it's advisable to store separate samples to ensure each child has usable cord blood.
Generally, if the first child's umbilical cord blood was preserved, it is still recommended to preserve the second child's as well. The specific analysis is as follows:
Umbilical cord blood usually contains abundant hematopoietic stem cells, which can reconstruct the body's immune system and hematopoietic function, and can be used to treat disorders such as blood system diseases and congenital immune deficiencies. Therefore, it is generally recommended to store a newborn's umbilical cord blood at birth. Since the blood types of two siblings may differ, even if the first child's cord blood has been stored, it is still advisable to preserve the second child's to ensure availability, as one sibling might not be able to use the other's stored blood, potentially affecting disease treatment.
If a newborn already has a medical condition at birth, the umbilical cord blood may also be compromised, and storage is generally not recommended. Additionally, if any abnormalities occur during pregnancy, prompt consultation and treatment at an obstetrics and gynecology department are advised.
