We know it sounds gross, but wait … it’s not as weird as it sounds!
Kourtney Kardashian and baby daddy Scott Disick were spotted Tuesday in Beverly Hills carrying a StemCyte umbilical chord blood saving kit. But what exactly is that for?
“What you’re doing is saving the baby’s blood from the chord right after the birth,” Dr. Joel Evans, a board certified OB/GYN, tells HollywoodLife.com. The blood, which is rich in stem cells, is then “stored at a bank and if the baby develops any kind of cancer that deals with bone marrow transplant, that blood can then be used and you won’t have to look for a donor. It eliminates that time waiting for a match.”
The procedure is simple and there’s no risk to the baby or mother, adds Evans. No preparation is needed beforehand — immediately after the baby is born, the doctor will use the kit (which includes a special container and equipment) to extract the blood.
“It’s not like you’re taking blood away from the baby. This is blood that would be lost anyway since it comes from the placenta,” says Evans, author of The Whole Pregnancy Handbook.
The only downside: Money. The $2,100 covers the kit, the medical courier who’ll take the blood from the hospital to StemCyte’s bank in Covina, Calif., and the first year of storage (the fee ever year after is $125 until the child turns 18. After that point, the child is an adult so the family will discuss ownership). While it may be costly, it’s also a smart investment.
“It’s like an insurance policy,” explains Evans. “If you never need it, it would’ve been a waste of money but if you do need it, it’s the best bargain ever because it saved your life.”
And really, it’s not like Kourtney can’t afford it!
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