Guide to Cord Blood Banking

And umbilical cord blood banking is one of the factors that you should consider. Full of some important cell types, both the umbilical cord and placenta can provide this invaluable resource to the baby's future.

If you are expecting a baby and are wondering whether to preserve cord blood or not, check out the benefits that it offers.

Cord blood, rich in various cell types, has been used to treat around 80 life-threatening diseases around the world, such as cancer (lymphoma and leukemia), anemia, inherited metabolic disorders, and immune system deficiencies, according to FDA.

Researchers may have seen a rise in cord blood transplants over the last 10 years, but many clinical trials have been conducted throughout the world concerning the potential of umbilical cord blood as regenerative medicine in the treatment of diseases such as Autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Cerebral Palsy and other neurological defects.

The first step in any stem cell therapy is matching the donor and recipient stem cells. In addition, the chances of finding a match inside the family and among siblings are much higher.

Graft-versus-host disease occurs when transplanted cells attack the host. Risk depends on the relationship between the donor and receiver. Most importantly, after an HLA match the risks reduce.

As soon as the baby is delivered, the hospital staff clamps the cord a few inches away from the baby. A sterile needle and bag are used to collect blood from the umbilical cord and placenta once the baby is separated from the mother. Neither the mother nor the baby suffer any discomfort during this process.

Umbilical cord blood is basically young and primitive, so a question that often arises is how long the stem cells can be preserved in frozen form and still be viable when they are thawed? The answer to this question is that if the cord blood stem cells are properly cryopreserved, they can be kept in frozen state for anywhere between 21 and 75 years (depending on the quality of the cryopreservation procedure). If necessary, the individual or his / her family can use these stem cells for treatment even after two decades of these cells being stored.

To Conclude

If you have a family history of medical conditions and if that can be treated with cord blood, go for new-born cord blood banking. However, when it comes to choosing a cord blood bank, private cord blood banking, armed with so many benefits mentioned above and armed with accreditations will definitely be an important step towards your family's future.