Cost of 3rd Trimester - Healthcare (CordLife)

Even before baby is born, parents have many decisions to make. In our modern age, there are many options easily available, and more options equates to even more decisions (or headaches). One recent trend in many parts of Asia, including Singapore, is the decision to preserve your baby's stem cells. How are stem cells used? Based on information from Cordlife, stem cells:
- Rescue reconstitutes a patient's blood and immune system
- This is carried out after chemotherapy and radiotherapy which destroy blood cells. The stem cells are infused intravenously into patient's blood stream.
- Once in the blood stream, they migrate to the bone marrow and differentiate iinto 3 blood cell types: red, white and platelets
- This differentiation initiates the regeneration of the patient's blood and immune system.
- Diseases treatable with stem cells include blood related cancers i.e. Leukaemia, blood disorders i.e. Thalassaemia and immunodeficiencies.

We went one step further and enrolled in their umbilical cord stem cell program. It usage is still under clinical trial but according to Cordlife, Umbilical cord contains Epithelial and Mesenchymal stem cells, and they have the potential to repair tissue i.e. replace lining of Cornea/Liver/Skin or Bone/Muscle/Cartilage cells.

My wife properly noted that buying into such plan is akin to buying an Insurance - there is no tangible value until the point you need it, and hopefully for this case, it will be useful should we require it. Much of this is also buying into a potential and promise, especially for the case of Stem Cell plan, where its only at clinical trial stage. Paying more than $7000 seems a big leap of faith, but for our circumstances (both of us are only child, crawling towards the mid 30s mark and its not certain we are having number 2) taking this option is a form of safety net for our 1st child. The health of our baby is still our priority.

The fees paid are not for indefinite periods - we signed for 10yrs plan for cord blood and 5yrs plan for Stem Cell, and any extension beyond those times are chargable on an annual basis. You can use CDA (Child Development Accoount) to pay for this item. There are referral programs which will benefit both referrals and the end user. Both my friend and i got $100 and $200 Capitaland vouchers respectively.

For more information, you can refer to CordLife Website