| Cord Blood and Stem Cells |
Cord BloodDuring the delivery of your baby, the remaining blood in the placenta and umbilical cord is referred to as the cord blood. Found to be rich in hematopoietic stem cells, cord blood is typically collected immediately after delivery and stored in cord blood banks. Stem CellHuman stem cells can be categorized into three sources: embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells. The hematopoietic stem cells found in the cord blood have been discovered to act as pre-cursor cells, which can differentiate into specialized cells and form any organ during development. Another amazing quality that these cells possess is their ability to re-new through simple mitosis. They work to repair damaged cells and at the same time replace or replenish dead cells. Because of the cord blood stem cell’s amazing treatment potentials, the medical community has tapped them for treating chronic diseases, disorders and other medical conditions. Stem Cell Application The discovery that stem cells can transform into any organ has resulted to numerous researches and studies related to their use as treatment.
Since 1988, scientists and researchers have used cord blood stem cells in treating diseases like leukemia and other blood disorders like thalassemia, cell anemia and anaplastic anemia. Because of their success, stem cells are now being considered for treating almost 70 diseases including:
Compared to using the stem cells obtained from the bone marrow, the unique genetic signature of cord blood stem cells have made it possible to increase the survival rate of patients who used cord blood stem cells from a member of the family instead of obtaining them from a non-relative. In addition to this, the procedure involved in collecting cord blood is virtually risk-free. The use of cord blood stem cells to treat diseases is increasingly becoming popular. Aside from this, researches and studies have also created a large demand for cord blood stem sells. Families, who have medical histories that include any of these diseases, should consider banking their baby’s umbilical cord blood if they wanted to increase the chances of survival. It is believed that stem cells derived from cord blood are more likely to match with the other members of the family compared to bone marrow-derived stem cells. : Cord Blood CollectionIt is vital that the cord blood stem cells are collected immediately after your baby’s delivery to preserve its viability. Collecting cord blood can actually be dome in two ways: bag or syringe method.
It can never be stressed enough that the cord blood should be collected within the first 15 minutes after the child’s birth and processed within 48 minutes at the cord blood bank’s laboratory. Cord Blood BankingThere are currently several cord blood bank facilities in the country today. You and your family should make sure that the facility you have chosen to store your child’s cord blood has accreditation from the American Association of Blood Banks to ensure proper handling. The cost of banking cord blood may seem considerable but considering the benefits of having a ready source of stem cells should outweigh your concern. Fees typically include payment for collection, initial storage and annual storage. If you want, you can compare prices offered by the different facilities that collect and store cord blood stem cells. If for some reason, you do not want to store your child’s umbilical cord blood, there are still non-profit cord blood bank facilities or foundations that are willing to collect and store the cord blood stem cells for FREE. These organizations would be using the cord blood stem cells to help others as well as for research purposes. Whether cord blood banking is public or private; considering it is the first step toward protecting your family or helping save another human being’s life. Please browse the rest of the Cord Blood Portal to learn more. |
