When the world knows a woman is pregnant, she and her husband are often
pressured by promotions and ads for private banks. The private banks claim that
by storing their baby's own core blood there would be a perfect match should
the need arise. This is a powerful argument and one that makes the cost--$250
to $1000 with annual storage fees of $50 to $100--seem well worth it. However,
the American Academy
of Pediatrics is opposed to private banking and the American
College of Obstetricians urges
"considerable circumspection." The argument against storing a baby's
own core blood for her later use is that her need for it is highly unlikely and
further that if the blood is needed it probably contains the disease for which
the child is being treated.