Lifebank USA was among the first banks to offer both cord blood banking and placenta banking. Placenta banking is important because placenta tissue is rich in mesenchymal-like stem cells and has the potential to be used for regenerative medicine therapy, such as organ and tissue replacement.4 Placenta stem cells are being explored for use in immune disorders, spinal cord injuries, blood cancers, and blood disorders.
Founded in 1998, Lifebank USA’s headquarters are located in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey. After your baby is born and their tissue samples are taken, Lifebank offers a courier service that will pick up your collection kit within one to two hours. Your baby’s stem cells are preserved in vapor-phase liquid-nitrogen storage tanks, with 24-hour monitoring.
Lifebank offers multiple payment plans based on which type of banking you choose—options include cord blood, placental tissue, and placental stem cells/placental tissue — and provides discounts if you register more than one child. For enrollment, collection and processing, and the first year of storage, pricing begins at $1,495. When paid ahead of time for 25 years, storage fees are priced at $125 a year. Lifebank is accredited by the FDA and AABB (American Association of Blood Banks).