CORD BLOOD

Stem cells: 'Huge leap forward,' claim scientists

2010-01-31T10:21:00.000-08:00

PARIS: Bioscientists said on Wednesday they had turned the skin cells of mice into brain cells in less than a week, in a boost for the quest of growing tissue in a lab to replenish damaged or diseased organs.

"We actively and directly induced one cell type to become a completely different cell type," said Marius Wernig, an assistant professor of pathology at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California.

"These are fully functional neurons. They can do all the principal things that neurons in the brain do."

The exploit "is a huge leap forward," added Irving Weissman of the university's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.

Massive investment has been directed into stem-cell research, driven by hopes that immature, pre-cursor cells can be prompted into becoming specific adult cells for the heart, brain and so on.

One day, they could be coaxed into becoming replacement material for tissue damaged by an accident or by diseases, such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's, according to this vision.

Until recently, it was thought that only so-called pluripotent stem cells, especially those found in embryos, could give rise to all types of cells in the body.

But embryonic stem cells have triggered controversy, with objections from the Roman Catholic Church, which contends that an embryo is a human life.

In 2007, "induced" pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, were created in a move that helped ease moral objections.

These are adult skin cells that are reprogrammed with a basket of genes and bath of proteins back to their pluripotent state, and then prompted into developing into a new cell type.

The new study leapfrogs this intermediary stage, converting mature cells taken from the skin of mice tails into neurons in a lab dish in a single step.

The work, led by grad student Thomas Vierbuchen, uses three genes involved in reprogramming and neutral function, introduced into the cells by "piggybacking" aboard a virus called a lentivirus.

The transformation took less than a week, after which the cells were injected into living mice. Observed over 32 days, the former skin cells looked like brain cells and expressed neural proteins.

Another plus, according to the paper, was the success rate in transforming the skin cells into neurons.

At 20 percent, it was up to 10 times more efficient than conventional iPS techniques, said the study, published online by the British journal Nature.

The next step will be to duplicate the feat on human cells. One benefit could be in fundamental research -- in understanding how cells choose and maintain their specialised function.

Umbilical Hernia Treatment

2010-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

Umbilical hernia occurs when the abdominal content protrudes beneath the skin through the umbilical hole.

The umbilical hole, or the umbilicus is the healed scar situated in the lower abdominal area. Through it the umbilical cord enters the body while the child is still inside his mother, and through the cord vital substances are passed to the fetus.

After birth the umbilical cord is cut off and the small opening that remains should quickly close in. But, in some cases it does not close as it should, so a small 'crack' remains open. In these cases a part of the abdominal content, the intestines usually, pokes through this opening. The bulge that is created is more visible when the child coughs, sneezes, or cries.

Umbilical hernia is not surgically repaired in the small children's case because usually until the child reaches the age of 3 the hernia shrinks and heals by itself. Some mothers try to increase the speed of the healing by tapping a coin to the bulge and forcing it to stay there and push it back, but this method is not medically tested or recommended.

However, in some special cases umbilical hernia does require surgical intervention. This happens if it did not heal by itself after the child turned 3 or 4 years old, or if the hernia strangulates the tissue that pushes out, cutting its blood supply. If this happens surgical intervention should be done as quick as possible.

Umbilical hernia surgery succeeds in 99.99% cases, especially if the doctor's indications about the short recovery period that comes after the surgery are carefully followed.

Overall this illness is not dangerous at all in most cases so there aren't any reasons to worry because it will most likely push back on its own. But if you suspect any complications visit a doctor as soon as you can.

Help of Stem Cells for Liver Injury

2010-01-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

Allogeneic liver transplantation remains the only effective treatment available to patients with liver failure. Because of a serious shortage of liver donors, however, an alternative therapeutic approach is urgently needed. Transplantation of hepatocytes derived from adult or fetal livers is not a candidate for the alternative treatment because the source of such stem cells is limited to human liver at present.

Recently, extrahepatic sources of hepatocyte lineage cells have been explored for use in cell therapy. Embryonic stem cells and Bone Marrow stem cells have been reported to have the potential to differentiate into multi lineage cells, including hepatocytes, in in vitro and in vivo models. However, the clinical application of embryonic stem cells obtained from human fertilized eggs harbors serious problems in many countries. Also, the utilisation of human Bone Marrow cells as the graft source is restricted by a shortage of healthy donors.

Our investigation demonstrates that Umbilical Cord Blood is a potentially suitable source of cell transplantation for liver injury. Umbilical Cord Blood will have relevance to the clinical application of cell transplantation as a novel therapeutic option for liver failure, as well as embryonic stem cells and adult-Bone Marrow-derived cells. Those Human umbilical cord blood cells have many advantages as grafts for cell transplantation because of the immaturity of newborn cells compared with adult cells. When we can successfully cryopre serve freshly isolated Umbilical Cord Blood cells, produce Umbilical Cord Blood -derived hepatic stem cells or hepatocytes on a large scale, and utilise them as a source of cell transplantation for decompensated liver diseases, we should be able to overcome the problems of ethics and short supply in allogeneic liver transplantation.

It was recently reported that Umbilical Cord Blood -derived stem cells had Bone Marrow -repopulating capacity. It is unclear whether Umbilical Cord Blood -derived cells function as mature hepatocytes for the support of liver injury though.

Stem Cell Research and Glyconutrients Supplements

2010-01-28T07:47:00.000-08:00

Scientists and universities have done a lot of research recently on stem cell therapy. There has been some less well known studies conducted by Dr. Reg McDaniel M.D. at the Fischer Institute for Medical Research, that have connected stem cells with the consumption of glyconutrients by a certain company. Before we discuss glyconutrients science and stem cells, allow me to discuss mainstream stem cell research.

Stem cells are being touted as the next big thing in biology. They serve many exceptional functions as a repair system for the human body. They are believed to be able to divide perpetually and replenish other cells as long as the host (person or animal) remains alive. The remarkable thing about stem cells is that as they divide, they can either become other stem cells or some other type of cell such as a red blood cell, brain cell or muscle cell. They can be used to replace damaged cells in a living organism. These discoveries are leading scientists to look into further medical benefits.

Doctors and scientists are taking a hard look at stem cell therapy as a treatment for health issues such as Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting more that 2% of those over 65 years of age. The disease is an aggressive and progressive degeneration of neurons in the brain that produce dopamine. This leads to rigidity, tremor and abnormally decreased mobility. Scientists believe that Parkinson's is one of the first diseases that can viably benefit from stem cell transplantation. Scientific studies are successfully using embryonic stem cells to turn into the dopamine producing neurons that are systematically depleted by the disease. This has been successful in rats and is hoped to soon be used on humans with the same success.

While most people are familiar with embryonic stem cells, there are also other types of stem cells, that are less well known, that scientists are working with currently. There are other types of stem cells such as adult stem cells. These have different characteristics and function differently from embryonic stem cells.

What are the Different Stem Cell Types? And Disadvantages?
- "Embryonic Stem Cells" - Cells derived from human blastocysts.
Disadvantages? Requires embryo destruction.

- "Fetal Stem Cells" - Cells from gonads of aborted fetuses.
Disadvantages? Requires destruction of weeks old fetus

- "Placenta derived Stem Cells" - Cells from the placenta of newborns.
Disadvantages? Low frequency (but higher than cord blood)

- "Umbilical Cord Stem Cells" - Cells from the umbilical cord blood of newborns.
Disadvantages? Very Low frequency of stem cells

- "Adult Stem Cells" - Cells from adult tissues.
Disadvantages? Extremely low frequency

The Expense of a Stem Cell Transplant
How expensive is a Stem Cell transplant? The starting cost for a single stem cell transplant is around $100,000 but that does not include the cost of the long hospital stay usually involved. You may need to repeat the process several times and get several expensive stem cell transplants in order to get the results that you would like to see. Continued controversial stem cell research is being done but meanwhile there is the option of glyconutrients supplements. While glyconutrients are safe and considerably cheaper than any other option, it is recommended that you do not replace your current medical advice with glyconutrients, but instead add the glyconutrients supplement program to whatever your doctor is currently having you do.

Stem Cell Research
Stem cell research is still a fairly new science. 20 years ago scientists conducted a study on mouse stem cells. It was this study that led to the 1998 discovery of isolating stem cells from human embryos and growing these cells in the laboratory. It is important to point out that the embryos that are used in these studies actually were created for couples facing infertility. When these couples sought out in vitro fertilization and implanted certain embryos, the embryos that were not used were determined as no longer needed. Thus, they were donated for research, but the donor was informed and had to give consent.

Since human embryonic stem cells have only been studied over the past decade, scientists who are working to develop treatments for certain diseases are studying the most basic properties of stem cells. They are working to determine how stem cells can remain unspecialized for years, how they can self renew and they are working to determine the signals that triggers stem cells into becoming specialized cells.

Stem cells can also be derived from adult tissue. This can be done with absolutely no harm to the subject. The downside to this is that it is extremely difficult to extract stem cells from an adult and the quantity is severely limited. Additionally, researchers contend that adult stem cells are quite limited in their usefulness. There are only a handful of cells that they can actually produce. However, researchers are still working and believe that there is some evidence that is coming to light that indicates adult stem cells may actually have more to offer in flexibility that earlier believed. Meanwhile, why not add "glyconutrients" to your diet?

Stem Cells and Glyconutrients
Several clinical studies have been done with regards to stem cells and glyconutrients, showing that the body may naturally synthesize its own stem cells when it has the proper glyco nutrients. In fact, glyconutrients have been clinically shown to be the ONLY supplement that has boosted the number of stem cells in the body. After Dr. Reg McDaniel and his science team had conducted some of their studies, Dr. Mcdaniel was asked to speak before the Colorado state senate in regards to his research with stem cells and our company's glyconutrients.

Glyconutrients are not drugs. Since glyconutrients are natural and plant-sourced, these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Glyconutrients are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Glyconutrients should be taken as part of a healthy lifestyle and individual results may vary.

The Importance of Cord Blood

2010-01-28T07:31:00.000-08:00

The blood that stays in the baby's placenta and remains attached to the umbilical cord even after cutting is what we can call cord blood. It is generally loaded with stem cells and can be used later in life to cure several fatal diseases. Earlier, this blood was not given importance in medicine and no one would store the blood for future medical use. However, the importance of this blood was discovered after thorough research and it is now possible to save this blood. Several banks specialize in the storage of this kind of blood. The reason cord blood is so important is because it has stem cells. These stem cells can regenerate themselves and form other organs, tissues etc. They have natural properties to develop immunity since they are not exposed to virus or any other diseases. The blood is pure and immature, thus it is even better than bone marrow. Research states that almost 80 diseases can be treated with stem cells and it can be used any time in the future. However, these cells have a life span; they cannot be stored for more than 15 years. Nevertheless, technological advancement may increase the storage life of these cells. In this article, we shall discuss the advantages of cord blood.

Advantages
No need for perfect match - Unlike bone marrow this blood does not require a perfect match. It can be used even if there is slight match between the donor and receiver. This is one of the most crucial factors and can prove to be very helpful during emergencies.

No complications - Cord blood transplant or use for medicinal purposes does not involve any risks. Thus, there are fewer complications when this blood is used for treatment. It does not attack the patient's own tissues, nor does it interfere with treatment.

It is ready to use - The process of collection of this blood is done with extreme care and precaution. It does not require any testing since it is collected and frozen only after proper testing. The blood is readily available and a match can be obtained quickly.

Rich source - Cord blood is a rich source of stem cells. It has ten times more cells as compared to bone marrow. Hence, a lesser quantity can be used for treatment. Moreover, it doesn't require a perfect match and can save a life. It is a social cause and imagine how good you will feel if you can save someone else's child. Indeed, a beautiful experience, since you are giving a new life to someone through the act of donating. The procedure for storing is not at all complicated and it can be collected without any disturbance to the mother or baby. The collection process is effortless and risk free.

Think about it, save the cord blood for your own future and for saving many more lives. Take this conscious decision.

3 Facts Everyone Should Know About Stem Cells

2010-01-27T07:24:00.000-08:00

Cord Blood
Cord Blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and
placenta following birth.
Cord Blood is routinely discarded with the placenta and umbilical
cord.
The blood in the cord is a rich source of stem cells.
Stem cells are the building blocks of your blood and immune
system.
Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into other types of
cells in the body, and thus give rise to all the tissues, organs
and systems in the body.
The stems cells in a child's cord blood are genetically unique to
the baby and its biological family.

Due to stem cells ability to differentiate into other types of
cell tissue in the body, treatments can be developed for diseases
such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Diabetes to name a few.
Stem cells found in the cord blood are a valuable biological
resource that researchers can use to investigate the potential of
future applications for cord blood stem cells.

Cord Blood Banking
Cord Blood Banking is the process whereby umbilical cord blood
stem cells are saved for potential medical uses.
Cord blood banking includes the processes of collection,
processing and storing of the umbilical cord blood.
Collection involves drawing the cord blood from the umbilical
cord, using either the syringe or bag collection method, after
the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut.
Processing involves the testing of the cord blood to determine
whether it meets eligibility standards and removing and red blood
cells or plasma that will not be needed in transplantation.
Storage involves storing the cord blood unit in a vinyl or
plastic bag in which it is frozen in liquid nitrogen.

There are two types of cord blood banks.
Firstly there are the family banks, which store the umbilical
cord for one's own family use.
Secondly, there are the public donor banks, which store the
umbilical cord blood for unrelated or non-family use - which is
public use.
Every parent has the option of saving their baby's cord blood for
their family use, while only a small number of people may be able
to donate their baby's cord blood stem cells.

Cord Blood Stem Cells
There are three sources of stem cells: bone marrow, peripheral
blood (that is the blood that circulates through the body) and
umbilical cord blood.
Cord blood stem cells, however, are different from other types of
stem cells.
By freezing these cells, any aging or damage to these cells is
prevented, that usually occurs later in life.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells are also more proliferate than
adult stem cells, such as those found in bone marrow.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.

5 Ways of Dealing With Cord Blood

2010-01-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

Cord blood is nothing but the blood which is found in the umbilical cord just after the birth of the baby. It's been medically proved that this particular blood is a rich source of stem cells, which are also known as "Blood Builder Cells" in the human body. Lately, it has become increasingly clear that the cord , placenta as well as the surrounding tissue of the umbilical cord are an additional source of stem cells. Moreover the process of collection of this particular blood is quick, painless and has no side effects on the mother or the baby.

Cord blood stem cells are also regarded as life line of human body as they have the potential to fight against deadly diseases. It is always wise to preserve this waste blood of the baby which is otherwise thrown away.
There are five simple ways of dealing with it after the birth of the infant. The decision to store the cord blood is a personal one. But you can choose form the following options

1) Discard the blood. This is what we have been doing so far. We throw the cord as well as the blood in it considering it to be a useless waste.

2) Preserve in a Private Bank. Many would be parents get themselves registered at a private cord blood bank so that at the time of delivery , the blood can be collected, stored and processed at a private center for their future use.

3) Donate. Today, cord blood is also donated by parents to the public bank where it is made available for general public. The donated blood is free for the recipient

4) Gift . It is indeed a very good option to gift the precious blood to a needy person. A thing which might not have any value for you can prove to be a life savior for the other person.

5) Medical Research. These days cord blood is also collected for research purposes. It is collected in Laboratories research is conducted to study the ways of improving the stem cells transplant process for future patients. This cord blood is not stored for transplant and the collection process for research is free.

So it's your decision what you would like to do with the life saving cord blood of your baby.

Umbilical Cord Complications

2010-01-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

As you’re aware, a baby’s umbilical cord is cut at the time of birth by surgeons using surgical clamps or other tools. Surgeons must be extremely careful and consider various complications with the baby’s cord while cutting it and even during labor and delivery.

The different complications involved with a baby’s umbilical cord include the following:
• Umbilical cord wrapped around the neck – In some cases the umbilical cord winds up encircling the baby’s neck. If not tackled properly this condition may lead to the baby getting choked. Babies who are delivered with the cord around their necks (often known as nuchal chords) can lead a perfectly healthy life if the chords are unwrapped carefully by the surgeon at the time of delivery.

• Knotted cords – Cords with a knot represent grave dangers to a baby developing in the womb. Oxygen and blood intake of the baby in the womb of the mother is obstructed due to knots in the umbilical cord and can cause serious consequences.

• Unnecessary pressure on the umbilical cord – Any stretching or compression on the umbilical cord may lead to the slowing down of the baby’s heart beat further resulting in respiratory problems for the baby.

In such cases, the baby’s heart beat can go below 100 beats per minute. Should the baby report a low heart beat rate for more than a couple of minutes, doctors can intervene by providing oxygen support.

• Prolapsed cord – During delivery, the baby passes through the birth canal headfirst after the bag of waters has been broken. In some cases, the umbilical cord moves into the birth canal first. This can cause the cord getting compressed resulting in serious consequences.

This generally happens when the baby is not placed in the pelvis of the mother appropriately. Cases of prolapsed cords in the vagina are usually treated by surgeons by arranging for a caesarean section delivery of the baby.

Why are umbilical cords’ complications difficult to handle?
• Complications in umbilical cords are very difficult to detect medically and scientifically. Pregnant women do not show any different symptoms when there are abnormalities in the umbilical cords.

• Most complications in umbilical cords are detected very late. This often drives surgeons to think on their feet to solve the complexity. Umbilical cord complications need surgical or medical intervention to ensure that the problem is solved.

The umbilical cord is an important feature/organ in babies that allow them to intake oxygen or blood. Complications in umbilical cords are difficult to detect. Experienced surgeons are needed to tackle this issue once detected.

A Healthcare Plan For Cord Blood Storage - Not Economically Viable?

2010-01-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

Stymied by the ethical row over the extraction of stem cells from early trimester aborted fetuses, medical science has started to search them from other sources. Recently, the medical community has found out that umbilical cord blood can be a viable source of stem cells. After learning from this discovery, many healthcare providers from around the world had offered their services - for a fee of course - to cryogenically store your newly born baby's umbilical cord blood for up to 20 years. The procedure usually involves cryogenically cooling the umbilical cord blood to be stored with liquid nitrogen for later use as a source of therapeutic stem cells. Does this procedure remind you of something?

In Phoenix, Arizona a company called ALCOR became rich - but mostly famous - during the 1980's by offering a "medical procedure" of storing someone's recently diseased loved one cryogenically for "posterity". Posterity is somewhat open to interpretation on what the company hopes to accomplish. It truly means sometime in the far-off future when medical science advance to a level were it is possible to revive and eventually cure what caused this certain person to die of in the first place. And by the way, ALCOR charges 300,000 dollars for a whole body cryogenic storage and 100,000 dollars for cryogenically storing just the head since according to them a new body can be cloned. This was in "when Ronald Reagan was still leader of the free world " US dollars by the way. Given that majority in the medical community - until now - has doubts about ALCOR 's fiscal and medico-legal practicality of the services they are offering, should we be storing our newly born baby's cord blood cryogenically for possible future use?

Given the relatively small volume of umbilical cord blood that would be stored, it would be way cheaper to store it cryogenically for 20 or so years compared to storing a recently deceased person after being prepped-up for cryogenic storage for an indefinite period of time (possibly for centuries?). And given that advances in stem cell therapy has been unnecessarily hampered by the politics surrounding its ethical implications. Medical research into stem cell therapy has been incrementally advancing in the past few years despite the challenges of demagoguery and petty political lobbying. The expense of storing umbilical cord blood for possible future use could certainly be a worthwhile investment.

Despite of the possible advantages, cryogenically storing umbilical cord blood for possible future use still has a sizable number of detractors in the medical community. Expert in the medical field has doubts whether the most common application of this stem cell resource - childhood leukemia therapy - is a good use of this very limited resource. It is already well known that a child's own previously stored umbilical cord blood can't be used for leukemia treatment because this form of blood cancer has a very high rate of re-occurrence. The previously stored umbilical cord blood would just simply provide temporary - albeit somewhat pricey - relief. But who knows what future developments might bring. And also there is a likely possibility that a number of children will be "lucky" enough not to be afflicted with diseases that necessitates the use of their previously stored umbilical cord blood for treatment.

Whether the practice is a waste of money or a very wise investment for the future, it Is ultimately up to the customer whether the services provided by certain healthcare companies to cryogenically store their newly born baby's umbilical cord blood really is worth it. The most likely problems that would likely come up with regards to this issue is that not enough customers who avail themselves of this service didn't get an informed enough consent in justifying their decision.

Cord Blood Banking - Life Gets Better

2010-01-19T07:13:00.001-08:00

For years, doctors have discarded the umbilical cord and the placenta after delivery without realizing the immense potential these organs have! Things are changing now, people today are more aware of the latest developments in science and technology and more and more people are taking cord blood banking seriously.

Regardless of what some people say, extracting cord blood from the umbilical cord for your baby and storing it in a cord blood bank is not harmful for you and your baby. The cord blood is drained after your baby is delivered and the umbilical cord is disconnected from your baby. But, why umbilical cord blood? The reason is though bone marrow can supply stem cells, the quality and quantity is a lot better in the umbilical cord. Besides, if a person has his own stem cells, he does not have to depend on others for donation. He is his own donor in cases of emergency. It is not necessary that his siblings with the similar genetic set up will be near him all the time. The cord blood you had preserved for him will be his savior. Speaking of siblings, have you ever thought that the cord blood that you have saved and stored in a cord blood bank could actually be of great use to the older siblings your baby may already have.

Incase you are worrying about the expenses of saving your baby’s cord blood, a suggestion is that you can look at it as insurance for your family. And finally after a few years, if you see that your child is growing up with no health concern, you can choose to sell the cord blood to a needy family. Not interested in selling your baby’s cord blood? Ok, you can donate it too. Public cord blood donation banks take cord blood for donations. Your baby’s cord blood will bring smiles to many faces!

Ok, you have decided in favor of cord blood banking. But which are the diseases which can be treated. Stem cells are being used to treat numerous diseases. The specialty of stem cells is that it can adjust anywhere. Here are some diseases which can be cured by cord blood stem cells.

Acute Leukemia

Chronic Leukemia

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Stem Cell Disorders

Myeloproliferative Disorders

Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Phagocyte Disorders

Liposomal Storage Diseases

Histiocytic Disorders

Inherited Erythrocyte Abnormalities

Congenital (Inherited) Immune System Disorders

Other Inherited Disorders

Inherited Platelet Abnormalities,

Plasma Cell Disorders

Autoimmune Diseases

Brain Tumors

Ewing Sarcoma

Neuroblastoma

Ovarian Cancer

Renal Cell Carcinoma

Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Testicular Cancer.
Cord blood banking is a relatively new concept. Research is being made on how to utilize it effectively for the benefit of mankind. If you are not interested in preserving your umbilical cord blood for your family in a private cord blood bank, you can donate it for research. Cord blood banking is picking up with every passing day.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Banking Umbilical Cord Blood

2010-01-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

Umbilical cord blood banking is another choice that expectant parents need to make prior to the birth of their baby. It is an important decision that should not be taken lightly. The ultimate decision to bank cord stem cells or not is a personal decision as to what is deemed appropriate for that particular family, but in making that decision it is prudent to educate oneself on what banking blood from the umbilical cord is as well as weighing the pros and cons.

Cord blood banking is simply storage or preservation of stem cells. To obtain these stem cells, your doctor would extract blood from the umbilical cord when your baby is born. This blood would be sent to the company that you will have previously chosen for services. There, the stem cells will be extracted from the blood and preserved specifically for your family's future use.

Why would someone opt for cord blood preservation? Well, research is continually being conducted and cells extracted from this blood has already been used to treat and cure injuries and diseases. Examples of cases where cord stem cells have been used successfully are treatments for leukemia, lymphomas, brain injuries, brain tumors and other cancers. This is a small list as there are nearly 70 diseases where stem cells have been used for treatment. The full potential uses are unknown as the list of successful treatments continues to grow.

Given the promising outlook, the next question that naturally comes to mind is "Why would someone choose not to participate in cord blood stem cell banking?"

That is a difficult question to answer as each individual has to take into consideration their specific circumstances and beliefs. The main con to opting to save blood from the cord is the cost. Another consideration is your personal beliefs and whether using stem cells falls within what an individual personally believes is acceptable.

The average initial cost of enrollment for the reputable companies range from $1600 to $2100. This pricing includes the kit to use for collection, the shipping costs to transport the blood to the company's facilities, the services of processing the cord blood and extracting the stem cells, and the first year storage fees. In addition, there are annual fees for storage that typically average about $125.

All expectant parents need to make an informed decision as to what is right for them. The costs as well as the benefits it can provide regarding your family's future health are only a couple of points that should factor in on a decision.

Cryo-Cell - Cord Blood Banking Information For Parents

2010-01-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

What is Cryo-Cell International?
One of the oldest leading umbilical cord blood banking facilities in the United States, this company is based near Tampa, Florida, and is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).

What do they do?
This company collects, processes, and stores umbilical blood and placental blood so it can later be used in stem cell transplants.

What is the cost?
The company does not charge clients enrollment fees. Parents do not pay until their child's cord blood is received at the Tampa facility (a courier service is used to deliver the umbilical blood after birth; no additional fee is charged for this service).

New and returning clients pay a $1295 processing fee and $100 per year to store the stem cells. This price can be locked in for future children as well. Parents can choose from a variety of payment plans to pay for the cost of cord blood banking over time, much like a car payment.

How many people use them?
More than 185,000 clients worldwide use Cryo-Cell for cord banking.

It's not easy making the decision to bank your child's umbilical blood, and depends on your family's medical history, finances, and other factors. Typically, parents make the decision to do cord baby banking in the first or second trimester of pregnancy, giving them plenty of time to coordinate with the banking facility, hospital or birthing facility, and medical personnel.

Many discounts are available for families considering this potentially life-saving service. Your family may also be eligible for financial assistance.

Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells

2010-01-19T07:03:00.000-08:00

Human umbilical cord blood cells have many advantages as grafts for cell transplantation mainly because of the immaturity of the newborn cells in comparison with adult cells.
In contrast to their hematopoietic and mesenchymal potential, it remains unclear whether umbilical cord blood cells have endodermal competence.

Umbilical cord blood contains circulating stem/progenitor cells, and the cellular contents of umbilical cord blood are known to be quite distinct from those of bone marrow and adult peripheral blood. Over the past two decades, the presence and characteristics of hematopoietic stem cells in umbilical cord blood have been clarified. The frequency of umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells equals or exceeds that of bone marrow and greatly surpasses that of adult peripheral blood. Compared with adult cells, umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cells produce larger hematopoietic colonies in vitro, have different growth factor requirements, are able to expand in long-term culture in vitro, and have longer telomeres. Umbilical cord blood transplantation for various hematopoietic reconstitutions and a lower incidence of graft-versus-host disease than expected with conventional therapies. Recently, it has been reported that umbilical cord blood contains mesenchymal progenitor cells capable of differentiating into marrow stroma, bone, cartilage, muscle, and connective tissues.

Furthermore, umbilical cord blood provides no ethical problems for basic suties and clinical applications. Umbilical cord blood cells can be collected without any harm to the newborn infant, and umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cell grafts can be cryopreserved and transplanted to a host after thawing without losing their repopulating ability. For these reasons, umbilical cord blood could be a prominent source of cells for transplantation in various diseases. It remains obscure, however, whether umbilical cord blood contains stem/progenitor cells leading to endodermal cells, including hepatocytes.

Human umbilical cord blood cells can proliferate hepatocyte lineage cells in the original primary culture system in vitro, and differentiate into functionally mature hepatocytes in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that human umbilical cord blood contains cells that produce endoderm-proliferating cells.

Embryonic stem cell therapy closer to human trials

2009-11-20T02:15:00.000-08:00

CHICAGO: Embryonic stem cell therapy got a step closer to the clinic Thursday after US researchers said they filed a request for government approval of human trials.

The trials would involve 12 patients losing their sight to a currently untreatable disease called Stargardt, which is one of the most common forms of juvenile blindness.

The treatment would consist of a single injection of retinal cells derived from embryonic stem cells.

Previous studies in rats and mice have found that the treatment prevented further vision loss without adverse side effects, said Robert Lanza, the chief scientific officer at Advanced Cell Technology.

It works by replacing lost retinal cells -- called retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) -- which maintain the photoreceptors needed for vision.

"If you start to lose these RPE, the environment for the photoreceptors degenerates," Lanza said in a telephone interview.

"By putting these RPEs back in you can prevent the loss of these photoreceptors and prevent blindness."

The trials could begin as early as the beginning of next year if the Food and Drug Administration grants approval, Lanza said.

This is just the second proposal for a clinical trial of embryonic stem cell therapies that has been submitted for approval, he added.

The other project, which would address spinal cord injuries, has been placed on hold and is not expected to begin before the third quarter of 2010, according to a recent press release from California-based Geron.

"After years of research and political debate, we're finally on the verge of showing the potential clinical value of embryonic stem cells," Lanza said.

"The field desperately needs a big clinical success."

Embryonic stem cell research is controversial because human embryos are destroyed in order to obtain the primitive cells capable of developing into almost every tissue of the body.

But it also holds great promise for treating cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases and even growing transplantable organs and tissues.

Researchers have found a way to sidestep both the controversy and the difficulty of working with embryonic stem cells by reprogramming ordinary skin cells into stem cells.

But this method is still so new that it could take years to replicate the experiments already done with embryonic stem cells and build up similar banks of tested cell lines, Lanza said.

"That is not a substitute certainly in the next several years for embryonic stem cell therapy," he said.

The Massachusetts-based company will be seeking approval for a human trial using similar methods to treat age-related macular degeneration, Lanza added.

Stems cells repair brain function in irradiated rats

2009-11-11T01:23:00.000-08:00

November 10, 2009 WASHINGTON: Human embryonic stem cells may one day be used to help people recover abilities to learn and remember that are lost after radiation treatment for brain tumors, experiments on rats suggest.In a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that transplanted stem cells in rats restored learning and memory within four months of radiotherapy.Irradiated rats that did not receive stem cells suffered a more than 50 percent loss in cognitive function, according to the study by researchers at the University of California at Irvine."Our findings provide the first evidence that such cells can be used to ameliorate radiation-induced damage of healthy tissue in the brain," said Charles Limoli, the study's senior author.Radiotherapy to treat brain cancers is limited by how well surrounding tissues tolerate the exposure.Patients who submit to such treatment suffer differing degrees of loss in their ability to learn and remember which in turn can affect their quality of life."It's a progressive, debilitating side effect of cranial irradiation," Limoli said. "Any treatments showing promise at reversing this are worthy of pursuit."In the study, stem cells were transplanted in the head of a rat, where they migrated to a region known to support neurons and developed into new brain cells.Researchers are still trying to determine how transplanted stem cells improved cognitive functions in rats.

Transplantation of cord blood effective in AML

2009-11-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

CLEVELAND: A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms that stem cells derived from the umbilical cords of newborn babies are a viable and effective transplant source for thousands of leukemia patients who have no other treatment option.

"As many as 16,000 leukemia patients diagnosed each year require a bone marrow transplant, but have no matched relative or can't find a match in the national bone marrow registry," says Mary J. Laughlin, MD, lead author on the study and hematologist oncologist at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and University Hospitals of Cleveland Ireland Cancer Center. "Umbilical cords that are normally discarded after birth could provide real hope for these patients."

Dr. Laughlin led an international team of researchers in collaboration with the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry and the New York Blood Center National Cord Blood Program. They conducted an analysis and comparison of treatment results in more than 500 adult leukemia patients undergoing transplant.

Researchers directly compared patients who had cord blood stem cell transplants with two groups: patients who had fully-matched unrelated bone marrow transplants and patients who had one antigen-mismatched unrelated bone marrow transplants. The study included patient's ages 16 to 60 years who underwent transplants in the United States during a six-year period ending in 2001.

Survival rates were highest (33 percent) for those bone marrow transplants with matched unrelated donors. Survival rates were the same (22 percent) for cord blood and one antigen-mismatched unrelated bone marrow transplant patients--results that clearly indicate the efficacy of cord blood stem cells when bone marrow donors are unavailable, according to Dr. Laughlin, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

"These are very high risk patients who undergo cord blood transplants only as a last resort effort to stay alive," Dr. Laughlin says. "Even with a cord blood transplant, these patients often suffer from life-threatening infections. But the fact is, without attempting this innovative therapy, none of them would survive."

"Techniques that extend the availability of stem cell transplantation to those patients in desperate need are an important and valuable step in the right direction," said Marshall Lichtman, MD, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Executive Vice President. "Dr. Laughlin's study gives renewed hope to adult patients without a sibling stem cell donor. Continued research is needed, however, to improve the outlook for the large proportion of patients who do not yet benefit from these approaches." The Society helped fund the study.

Cord blood transplantation provides leukemia patients with stem cells, enabling them to produce healthy blood cells in a procedure previously shown to be highly effective in children with the disease. As a stem cell source, umbilical cord blood is not controversial and readily available; in fact, cord blood is normally discarded after a baby's birth.

New mothers can donate cord blood immediately after delivery. Ordinarily, the placenta (the afterbirth), and the cord blood it contains, is discarded. Now a trained technician can collect the cord blood which remains in the placenta after the baby is born and the cord is cut. The donated cord blood is processed and frozen and stored for any patient in the future that might need a transplant.

The availability of cord blood makes it a logical choice for doctors and their patients when a matching bone marrow donor cannot be found. A patient's best chance for survival comes from a bone marrow donor who is related to the patient and matches the patient's tissue type. A bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor may be an option when there is no donor available in the family, but offers a poorer chance for survival, even when fully matched.

"The fact is, approximately 20,000 leukemia patients nationwide need transplants but only 20 percent of them have a sibling match, so there remains a large group--about 16,000 patients--who are forced to seek donors from a marrow donor registry in hopes of finding a match from donors who aren't related to them," Dr. Laughlin says. "But only a small percentage of patients are lucky enough to find a transplant match at the registry, which is why the cord blood transplant is so important."

Source

Mary J. Laughlin, M.D., Mary Eapen, M.B., B.S., Pablo Rubinstein, M.D., John E. Wagner, M.D., Mei-Jei Zhang, Ph.D., Richard E. Champlin, M.D., Cladd Stevens, M.D., Juliet N. Barker, M.D., Robert P. Gale, M.D., Ph.D., Hillard M. Lazarus, M.D., David I. Marks, M.D., Ph.D., Jon J. van Rood, M.D., Andromachi Scaradavou, M.D., and Mary M. Horowitz, M.D. Outcomes after Transplantation of Cord Blood or Bone Marrow from Unrelated Donors in Adults with Leukemia. NEJM.

Understanding Cord Blood Donation

2009-10-14T03:48:00.000-07:00

Parents these days are bombarded with advertisements for cord blood donation. When expecting a child, parents want to make the best decisions for their children. Is donating cord blood one of them?

When you donate cord blood, umbilical cord blood from birth is collected and stored. This doesn’t hurt either the mother or baby. Doctors use the stem cells from umbilical cord blood to treat hematologic, immunologic and oncologic disorders. While these cells may also be found in bone marrow and circulating blood, cord blood is easier to match to transplant patients than the other two sources. Cord blood may be used by the person who donated the blood (called autologous use) or by somebody else who closely matches the donated cord blood (allogeneic).

Blood stored privately cannot always be used by the person who donated it, as the disease that needs to be treated often infects the cord blood as well. Besides the donor, the cord blood may be used by a sibling, although there is just a 25% chance that the cord blood of one sibling will be a good match for another. Because of this, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises against parents privately banking cord blood unless “there is knowledge of a full sibling in the family with a medical condition (malignant or genetic) that could potentially benefit from cord blood transplantation.” The AAP does support public banking, as it is free to families and it is available to a large group of people.

Should you decide to bank your child’s cord blood privately, keep in mind that doing so may be expensive. The initial cost to bank cord blood privately is around $1,000, followed by yearly fees of roughly $100. Look for a cord blood registry which is accredited; AABB is the primary accrediting agency for cord blood, although FACT is good too. You can find a table showing private companies as well as cord blood donation cost here.

Cord blood can also be banked publicly, meaning that anybody who matches your child’s cord blood can use it. Although this is free for parents to do, it doesn’t mean that blood will be available for your child’s use, or his siblings. It also can be difficult to find a hospital which accepts cord blood donations, as the cost to them is high

New Blood For New LIfe

2009-09-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

When blood cord banking came into existence, hope for new medical possibilities came to be. An alternative has been opened, a new, better choice for our health needs. Blood cord banking or cord blood banking is a relatively new addition in the medical realm.

Blood cord banking is the process of preserving blood from a new born baby's umbilical cord and placenta. The concept of blood cord banking starts immediately as soon as a mother gives birth, the blood in the umbilical cord and placenta is immediately preserved through freezing and kept in a depository until such time in the future as when that same baby, all grown up, will be needing, if ever, a transplant of the bone marrow or for treatment of leukemia or Fanconi's Anemia.

As the blood cord banking concept is still in its infancy stage, starting just in the mid 90s, research and studies on the subject have still to positively conclude its full medicinal benefits.

Despite of this however, many blood cord banks have come into existence since transplants of umbilical blood cord have been successful in the treatment of diseases of the immune and blood systems. Leukemia and Fanconi's Anemia are just some of the diseases treated by umbilical cord blood. In Fanconi's Anemia alone, 2000 patients have undergone this procedure.

Formerly viewed as birth medicinal waste, umbilical cord blood due to its high demand, is now a valuable commodity because it is rich in hematopoietic stem cells, progenitor cells that produce red blood cells, it also has white blood cells and platelets.

Umbilical cord blood is abundant in blood cells that are proven to restock the bone marrow. It is proven that blood cord is rich in stem cells that rejuvenate the bone marrow. Stem cells form part of our body's blood and immune system and they have the capability to rejuvenate the other cells in our body's system thus can be a potent cure versus the dreaded cancer diseases that wreak havoc on man. Blood cord banking is like a new blood for a new life for man.

Many parents have started banking their new borne children's umbilical cord, doubling in number every year. As a result, more and more blood cord banking companies have come into existence. Cord Blood donation is likewise medically safe, posing no risks to the health of the mother and the infant. Collection of the blood cord does not harm you or your baby since the process is done after you have given birth.

You as an expectant parent should weigh the choices you have, would you bank your newborn's cord blood? Or should you not? Do the long term medical benefits that you are even not assured of needing in the future far outweigh the reality of the current high costs of preserving and banking your child's cord blood?

You know, its not remote that scientists researching on its usefulness will discover more cures for cord blood for other diseases. The procedure of collecting cord blood is simple and painless for both you and your infant and likewise there are no health risks involved. There are many public blood cord banks that accept donations for use by the public, donated cord blood is lost to the donor forever. Private, for-profit blood cord banks however charge an average of $2,000.00 to collect and preserve the umbilical cord blood for possible use of the child or family in the future.

How Important Is The Umbilical Cord Blood?

2009-09-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Umbilical cord blood is the blood that is found in the umbilical cord and the placenta. It is extracted immediately after the delivery of the baby. This blood is rich in stem cells. Stem cells are the architects of your body. They have the capability of creating new blood cells, brain cells, etc. They can adjust to the body anytime and start repairing or replenishing the old cells.

Stem cells can give the scientist a treasure of information about various diseases and birth defects. With a detailed study, the reasons behind various genetic diseases and deformities can be unearthed. The specialty of the stem cells lies in their ability to multiple several times and creates whichever cell the body needs.

Diseases That Can Be Treated With Stem Cells
More than 70 diseases can be treated with the help of the umbilical cord blood cells. Some of them are as follows:

Bone Marrow Failure Disorders like Aplastic Anemia (Severe), Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia, Pure Red Cell Aplasia, etc
Hemoblobinopathies like Beta Thalassemia Major and Sickle Cell Disease
Histiocytic Disorders like Hemophagocytosis
Inherited Immune System Disorders like Bare Lymphocyte Syndrome, Reticular Dysgenesis, Chronic Granulomatous Disease, Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, etc
Inherited Metabolic Disorders like Gaucher Disease, Krabbe Disease, Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome, Tay Sachs, Wolman Disease, etc
Leukemias and Lymphomas like Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Adult T Cell Leukemia, Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Juvenile Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Polymphocytic Leukemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia etc
Plasma Cell Disorders like Plasma Cell Leukemia, Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia, etc
Other Inherited Disorders like Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia, DiGeorge Syndrome, Osteopetrosis, etc

Extensive research is being conducted the benefits of cord blood stem cells in ailments like Brain tumor, Ovarian cancer, Small cell lung cancer, testicular cancer, Rheumatoid Arthritis, spinal injury, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Muscular Dystrophy, etc

Cord Blood Vs Bone Marrow Transplants
Why do we need to preserve the cord blood? Bone marrow stem cells should be enough. Well, there are still debates on this issue. There is one point that everyone agrees with. That is, umbilical cord blood has more stem cells than the bone marrow does. On the other hand, unlike the cord blood, adult donor blood is not limited by quantity. However, cord blood stem cells are more flexible compared to the bone marrow cells. Very rarely is it seen that a patient’s body has rejected the cord blood stem cells.

Cord Blood Banks
Cord blood banking is increasing in popularity over the past few years. Two types of banks specialize in umbilical cord blood collection and preservation- Public Cord Blood Bank and the Private Cord Blood Bank. Public Cord Blood Banking services are free. Here you can preserve your child’s stem cells. However, a point to note is if you plan to preserve the blood specifically for your family, you will be unable to do so in a public cord blood bank. Here it is more like a donation for the well-being of the society and research. Private blood banks are expensive. Nevertheless, here you can preserve the stem cells just for your family use.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Cord Blood Treatment

2009-08-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

With cord blood becoming the talk of town, let’s have a look at the bright as well as the dark sides of this miracle blood that promises to treat many life-threatening diseases in the near future.

Advantages Of Cord Blood Treatment
Cord blood collection is effortless and free from risks. The National Cord Blood Program staff at the New York Blood Center performs cord blood collection from the expelled placenta. This process does not, in any way, intervene with the care of either the newborn baby or the mother. Therefore, there is no health risk to both of them.

It is ready-to-use, as it is stored frozen after collecting and testing it. In case a match a found, the unit can be reserved at once.

It does not need a perfect match. This is the biggest advantage. Cord blood can be transplanted even if there is only a partial match between donor and recipient.

The recipient is at fewer risks of complications by cord blood transplant. The immune cells present in cord blood are less likely to attack the tissue of patient (graft vs. host disease) as compared to bone marrow transplant. Also, cord blood is less likely to spread certain viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), which is a deadly infection that strikes transplant recipients. Nearly half of the adult population of America is the carrier of CMV in the form of latent virus. Besides this, less than 1 percent of babies are born with CMV.

Disadvantages Of Cord Blood Treatment

The volume of cord blood collection is relatively small. Hence, the quantity of stem cells for transplantation is less than that in peripheral blood or bone marrow. This problem is greater for adults and adolescents, as they need comparatively more quantity of stem cells for transplant.

Cord blood transplantation exposes the patient to one of the rare genetic disorders of the immune system or blood. This disorder is not detectable while testing the cord blood sample, as it remains invisible in the child for many years. However, the chance of getting this disorder is less than 1 in 10,000.

The donor cord blood stem cells come from newborn baby that is unavailable for extra cord blood donation. Therefore, if the first cord blood unit fails, the second unit will have to be obtained from a different donor.

Just as every coin has two sides, so does umbilical stem cell cord blood. But, it promises to provide the solution to many critical medical conditions. However, it may take a decade or two before there is a definite cure to deadly diseases. Nevertheless, the researchers are busy researching on stem cells in the hope to make it a powerful medical tool in the coming years.

Cord blood banking is gaining prominence day by day. However, before we consider cord blood collection and cord blood transplant, we should be aware of the benefits of this process for the recipient. Do cord blood donations really help? How effective are they in curing diseases? Cord Blood Banking provides an insight about what experts have to say about cord blood storage!

Banking vs. Donating

2009-08-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

If you decide not to bank your cord blood and save it privately for your own use, you may have an opportunity to donate it. In this event, it would be stored by a non-profit agency and saved for someone else to use, should they need it. In this it is much like donating blood.

While donating your child's cord blood may not help you personally, think of someone else in need if you are given the opportunity. It is an easy gift to give as there is no cost or difficulty on your part.

If you are interested in donating your child's cord blood, your should speak with the Labor and Delivery receptionist at your hospital before the actual delivery date to understand the process and who to contact. If you wait to notify the hospital until the actual birth, it will likely be too late.

Cord blood Collection - Save Generations To Come

2009-08-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

Cord blood collection is gaining popularity in vigor with every passing year. Its importance is no longer hidden to today’s knowledgeable generation of parents. With stem cells research getting more advanced, the utility of umbilical cord blood is no longer limited to a few ailments. It has been proved that stem cells extracted from it; can help in the treatment of more than 70 diseases which were earlier thought as incurable.

Some of the diseases that can be cured with the help of cord blood are:
Acute Leukemia
Chronic Leukemia
Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Stem Cell Disorders
Myeloproliferative Disorders
Lymphoproliferative Disorders
Phagocyte Disorders
Liposomal Storage Diseases
Histiocytic Disorders
Inherited Erythrocyte Abnormalities
Congenital (Inherited) Immune System Disorders
Other Inherited Disorders
Inherited Platelet Abnormalities
Plasma Cell Disorders
Autoimmune Diseases
Brain Tumors
Ewing Sarcoma
Neuroblastoma
Ovarian Cancer
Renal Cell Carcinoma
Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Testicular Cancer

These are just some of the diseases that can be treated with the stem cells preserved in banks. Speaking of banks, as a donor, you need to decide whether you would like to go ahead with a public cord blood bank or a private cord blood bank. Its registry with a private bank is more expensive compared to that in a public bank. Another important difference between these two banks is that in a private bank, your unit of blood is just yours. In a public bank, you will be assured of a matching unit of blood when required, which not necessarily will be your own.

It cannot be collected without the consent of the mother. The mother has to give in writing that she is willing to donate or preserve her baby’s umbilical cord blood for future use. She will have to undergo an elaborate registry procedure which includes medical tests. She will have to inform her doctor before the delivery about her decision, so that no time is wasted in the delivery room.

Cord blood preservation can appear to be an expensive proposition currently, but you can choose to look at it as a health insurance of a different kind. Not only will your child enjoy the benefits, but also her siblings. If you still think that you cannot afford the expense, see it like this, that it would be very helpful to the society if you and your partner think about donating it to a needy family or for medical research.

Cord blood collection is gaining popularity in vigor with every passing year. The importance of umbilical cord blood is no longer hidden to today’s knowledgeable generation of parents. Get more information on cord blood banking by clicking on the provided links.

Cord Blood Donation: Decision During Pregnancy Can Save Someone's Life

2009-08-16T03:21:00.000-07:00

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth. It contains stem cells that can differentiate into many types of cells in the body. Umbilical cord blood stem cells hold significant potential in treating life threatening diseases and conditions, including cancer. They are able to regenerate immune system and replace damaged or diseased cells.
In early 2006, Dr. Felipe-Andres Ramirez-Weber was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of blood and bone marrow cancer, acute myelogenous leukemia. A bone marrow transplant was his only cure for this disease. But there were no matches from his family members or other donors (given his Latino ethnicity) and his fate was looking grim. He decided to take part in a clinical trial with Delta-expanded stem cells at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and became the first patient to undergo expanded cord blood stem cell transplant in the world. He was given two units of cord blood but the stem cells in one of the units were dramatically increased from 200,000 to 13 million per kilogram of body weight. Ramirez-Weber was engrafted in half the time of a bone marrow transplant. He is recovering well and has been healthy since the transplant. He would not have been cured at a sooner time if not for the cord blood donated by someone else.
In another case, a twin boy was born with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), a rare and fatal disorder. Mason Williams' own body did not produce enough white blood cells to fight off even the smallest infection. Exposure to any germs could literally kill him. Both he and his twin brother, Peyton Williams were confined to their home which had to be completely sanitized at all times. Children with this particular disease rarely live to get to kindergarten. Although Peyton was healthy, he also had to be confined as he could not risk bringing home the germs from playing with other kids.

Mason was fortunate when a national search at Duke University hospital found a match for his stem cell transplant. A mother had donated her baby's umbilical cord blood at birth. In the beginning of 2002, stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord blood were transplanted into Mason. After much trepidation and a one year waiting period, the cord blood stem cell transplant was confirmed a success and Mason recovered fully from SCID. The stem cells created an entirely new immune system, thus enabling the boy to live normally.

These two cases are some examples of the life-saving potentials of umbilical cord blood stem cells. If you choose to donate your baby's cord blood, it can give someone else a chance at life that they may not have had otherwise. The decision is yours, and an important one. Be sure to think about the potential good this act can do for others.

Cord Blood Stem Cell Breakthroughs: Cure For Diabetes?

2009-08-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

Cord blood, also called placental blood, is the blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord following birth, after the umbilical cord is cut. Generally, this blood is disposed of with the placenta and umbilical cord. There is much controversy regarding the use of stem cell research as it pertains to the use of embryos. However, there have been new scientific breakthroughs in the field of stem cell research using cord blood stem cells from living babies.

A team of South Korean researchers, headed by Prof. Kang Kyung-sun of Seoul National University, has successfully grown pancreatic beta cells from umbilical cord blood stem cells of newborn babies. The stem cells are able to secrete insulin, the hormone necessary for treatment of diabetes. The ability of cord blood stem cells to differentiate, or change into other types of cells in the body is a new discovery that holds great promise for improving the treatment of some of the most common diseases including diabetes. This achievement would be highlighted by The Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, the U.S.-based weekly, that documents breakthrough papers in biotechnology.

Similar breakthroughs have been achieved by scientists throughout the world. Researchers at the University of Newcastle, in Dublin, produced a ?mini liver' from cord blood stem cells. The technique will be developed to create a full-sized, fully functioning liver. Tissues from mini-livers will be used to test new drugs. Researchers are hopeful that within five years, pieces of the tissue can be used to repair damaged livers and within 15 years, actual liver transplants may be done using lab-grown livers made from cord blood. This is a significant achievement that can potentially develop treatments for liver diseases.

In a study published by the University of Minnesota, researchers discovered that some umbilical cord blood cells possess similar characteristics to primitive stem cells. According to Walter Low, Ph.D., senior investigator of the study and professor of Neurosurgery and the Stem Cell Institute at the University of Minnesota, this major discovery is crucial to understanding how cord blood stem cells can restore brain function after injury such as in stroke. In a laboratory test, cord blood stem cells were transplanted into rodents with controlled strokes. The results: some limb function was restored and the size of brain lesions was reduced. Cord blood stem cells developed into neuron-type cells, similar to those found in the brain. They also stimulated nerve fibers in the brain, thus the regained function in rats. This finding will significantly help advance the development of stroke research.

Stem cell technology has been advancing forward in leaps and bounds. The breakthroughs in cord blood stem cell research can substantially speed up the development of treatments for life-threatening diseases and debilitating conditions. Cord blood stem cell research avoids much of the controversy and problems associated with embryonic stem cell research.

Cord Blood Stem Cell Breakthroughs: Lung Disease, Kidney and Lupus

2009-08-16T03:14:00.000-07:00

Umbilical cord blood from newborn babies can be used to produce embryonic-like cells that can potentially treat diseases and debilitating conditions.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have been able to differentiate cord blood cells into a type of lung cell. These cells help to repair the airway in lungs after injury. This is a significant discovery because until now the use of brain stem cells was the only way to conduct viable research of this type. In the future, researchers might be able to examine cord blood from babies with lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis and develop better treatments. They will be able to work with umbilical cord blood cells to better understand lung development and to test new drugs.
Recent research indicates that mesenchymal stem cells obtained from full-term umbilical cord blood can potentially be used to repair tissue and develop bone and cartilage. As a result, patients can recover faster, thus preventing kidney complications arising from tissue damage. These findings bring new hope to those who suffer from acute kidney failure, a life threatening condition. Acute renal failure occurs when the kidneys are unable to get rid of waste and urine. Researchers in Italy treated mice with acute renal failure using cord blood mesenchymal stem cells and observed improved kidney functions. These preliminary findings show that cord blood stem cell research offers great potential in the treatment of acute kidney failure. However, more research is required to determine if humans would benefit from mesenchymal stem cells.

Lupus is a disease that affects more than 1.5 million Americans. It is an inflammatory disease that affects the skin, joints and kidneys. Lupus can be life threatening when it attacks major organs such as the kidneys. Stem cell transplant is used to treat patients with severe lupus. In a study of 50 patients who underwent stem cell transplant at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, 50 percent were free from the disease after five years. The overall survival rate is 84%. Stem cell transplantation offers a ray of hope to lupus sufferers who have failed conventional treatments.

Cord blood stem cell research overcomes most of the problems associated with embryonic stem cell research. The latter comes under much scrutiny and debate. It is hard to obtain sufficient stem cells from embryos and the right tissue type for a patient. Cord blood stem cells can be produced and there is more likelihood of finding the right tissue type given a birth rate of 100 million babies a year worldwide. Cord blood stem cell breakthroughs will undoubtedly escalate further research to find cure for what had previously been incurable diseases or debilitating conditions.

Cord blood stem cell transplant is becoming increasingly important for treatment of life-threatening diseases and debilitating conditions. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are less prone to rejection than bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells.

Why Should I Donate Cord Blood In Public Banks?

2009-08-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

Despite the miraculous potential of stem cell cord blood to treat various life-threatening diseases, the public cord blood banks are getting limited donations. Why? There are many reasons for this. The common ones are inadequate equipment, lack of awareness among people, and fund problems. However, the major reason is that cord blood donors want to save the stem cells for their own family use.

However, latest reports prove that public cord blood banks are more beneficial for donors than other banks. Let’s see how.

Benefits Of Donating Cord Blood At Public Banks
• You can hardly use the saved cord blood for your immediate members. This is good because cord blood from an ill child is not suitable for his or her use. The genetic matter of the disease is encoded in blood cells too. Parents are also the carriers, which make them inapt in using the saved blood. In addition to this, the cord blood stem cells are not sufficient in quantity to transplant in adults or bigger-size person, who weighs more than 100 pounds.

• If you are in need of cord blood, the chances of getting a suitable match is more in public cord blood banks than that in private ones. According to the National Marrow Donor Program's Dennis Confer, the success rate of getting a perfect match is only 25 per cent from private banks while that in public banks, it is 75 per cent. Moreover, if it’s an international based bank, then the success rate of getting a suitable match is even higher.

• Doctors mostly prefer cord blood from public cord blood banks. This is because such banks are under strict regulation and comply with rigorous standards for cord blood preservation, which is not so with private banks. The former are very particular about hygiene, amount, and the quality of staff whereas the latter are more interested in making profit. In short, the quality of your cord blood can be at risk at private cord blood bank facility.

• Public banks give priority to the need of the donors for their cord blood. Moreover, there are dim chances that your cord blood sample is used for the transplantation in someone else. According to an estimate, just 5 per cent of stored cord blood units are used.

• It’s more economical to save cord blood in public banks, as they do not charge any money, unlike private cord blood banks that charge around $2,000 for the cord blood collection and registry and an annual fee of $100 for storage.

There’s not much thinking to do. It’s a question of saving a life. You can insure your home, car, and even your life, then why not insure disease treatment for your family?

Are public cord blood banks a better option for cord blood storage? Why is a public cord bank better than a private cord blood bank? Why are people rushing to a private bank for cord blood banking? For answers to these and many more questions related to stem cell cord blood visit, Cord Blood Banking

Stop Waiting For Cord Blood Donors – Go For Cord Blood Storage Now

2009-08-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

Finding a suitable cord blood donor for medical purpose is marked with many issues. In many cases, people are not able to get the perfect match for their medical needs. A large number of people die waiting for a transplant due to this reason. This particularly holds true for adoptive children. They may not have any biological sibling or family member to look out for matches. Besides this, children without siblings and people belonging to certain races or ethnicities, who don’t have access to other people of their race in their area, also face problems. Cord blood storage in a cord blood bank provides an answer to this problem.

Moreover, finding a match does not guarantee the success of an umbilical cord blood transplant. This is because our human body is programmed to reject anything it finds "foreign," even if that thing comes as your lifesaver.

Become Your Own Donor
Imagine a situation where you don’t have to consider the above issues. How about becoming your own donor? Then, you can always get a perfect match and reduce the risk of rejection to a great extent. Sounds too good to be true? But it IS true! cord blood banking has made it true!

Cord blood stem cells work extremely well in transplants because they shoulder the responsibility of non-functioning cells that they try to replace. For example, the body of a leukemia patient stops producing the adequate amount of white blood cells in the bone marrow. Before the discovery of cord blood stem cells, leukemia patients had to wait anxiously to find a suitable bone marrow donor and then have a transplant, which had its own uncertainties. It might either work or not.

However, the scenario has changed with the discovery of cord blood stem cells. Now, the match is guaranteed, as the blood comes from your body directly, and the stem cells rapidly convert into cells that will turn into normal functioning bone marrow. This will ensure the generation of white blood cells to combat the deadly disease.

Cored Blood Stem Cells - The Wonder Cells
Since stem cells have the amazing ability to transform into any type of cells, cord blood is a kind of “wonder tool” to treat and many scary diseases such as various types of cancers, sickle cell anemia, genetic or immune system disorder, and others.

With cord blood, you don’t have to go through a horrible waiting period while finding a suitable match. Doctors can start your treatment immediately, thus, allowing you complete recovery since the disease will not have taken full control of your body.

Besides this, you can become a cord blood donor yourself to save your sick sibling or family member. You need not run from pillar to post searching for a suitable donor to save the life of your loved ones. Well, this really is a giant leap on earth itself!

Stop waiting for cord blood donors to save your loved one! Be your own donor and get treatment immediately. The process of Cord blood banking or cord blood storage is a perfect answer to store cord blood stem cells in case you, your kids or someone in your family needs an umbilical cord blood transplant. Cord Blood Banking has all the details and answers you have regarding the process and need for cord blood storage.

Cord Blood Transplant – A Fresh Start To Your Life

2009-08-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

With every passing day, the science behind the utility of umbilical cord blood is going a step forward. It is increasingly being used for curing leukemia patients.

Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells. As the name suggests, it is extracted from the umbilical cord and the placenta immediately after delivery. Stems cells are very important. They have the capability of creating entirely new blood and organs too. The cord blood stem cells have created your baby and by preserving those stem cells, you are giving your baby a greater chance to fight possible life-threatening diseases.

Cord blood Vs Bone Marrow Transplants

For Cord Blood:
• Research shows that the quality of the stem cells taken from the bone marrow is not as high as that of the umbilical cord blood.

• Patients who have received a bone marrow transplant are more likely to reject the new addition, which could lead to life threatening situations.

• It may take months for the medical team to find a donor with a matching blood composition. With the patients cord blood available, the treatment is not delayed beyond a few days.

• In case the patients cord blood is not available, public cord blood banks have a vast resource of stem cells, which were donated by new parents. The cord blood banking system is highly computerized and one can search for the matching composition very quickly.

For Bone Marrow:
• Cord blood transplant is a relatively new compared to bone marrow transplants

• The quantity of umbilical cord blood is limited. The amount of stem cells is very crucial for any treatment. A younger patient will require less stem cells compared to an older one. If for any reason the patient requires a second graft, he will have to take a donation from outside. This may lead to more complications.

• Stem cells are slow. They take time to produce the required blood cells. Till then the patient runs severe risk of infections due to reduced immunity.

• There may be case where the stem cells are not be as healthy as expected after being preserved for so many years. Theoretically, cord blood can be preserved forever. In reality, no one is sure about how long a unit of cord blood can be saved without affecting its utility.

At the end of the day, it is your decision. Nevertheless, do remember that even if the option of bone marrow transplant is available, your child will have a greater chance in emergencies or critical illnesses when there is no matching donor nearby. It is not necessary that your child will have a sibling with matching genetics close to him all time in the future. The cord blood, which you had saved years ago after his birth, will be enough for him to start life afresh.

Are you planning to bank umbilical stem cell cord blood of your baby? It is better to know whether cord blood preservation is a better option than bone marrow transplants in simple terms. Cord Blood Banking provides information related to cord blood banking and selecting a good cord blood registry.

Disclaimer: The objective of this article is to provide a layperson’s point of view about the options and methods of cord blood storage. This article is based on information collected from different internet resources and this is in no way intended to substitute qualified medical opinion. You should consider seeking medical advice before taking any decision or adopting any method or treatment option mentioned in this article.

Blood Cord Investing in Your Baby's Future

2009-08-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

We all know that blood saves lives, and most of us are familiar with the importance of donating blood when and if we can. As medical science has progressed, however, the ways in which blood can be donated, and even the types of blood it is possible to share, have increased, bringing with them a number of issues that society must debate.
All cultures have their own traditions surrounding the process of giving birth, and some of these involve the placenta and umbilical cord, used to allow the transfer of substances between mother and child before birth takes place. While some cultures espouse the ingestion of a mother's placenta, western medicine has found another use for this organ, or at least for what is contained within.

The placenta and umbilical cord contain a type of blood that is rich with stem cells, which can be used to great benefit in patients suffering from a variety of immune disorders. The most widely known use of such cells is in bone marrow transplants, where patients suffering from cancer receive the bone marrow from a living donor, replacing the unhealthy blood cells of the patient for the life-saving ones of the voluntary donor. The process of bone marrow transplantation can, however, be time consuming, and finding an exact donor match can be difficult.

Cord blood contains a similar type of the stem cells that are found in bone marrow, but the way in which it is donated makes it more readily available for the patient in need. Cord blood, once tested for its suitability, can be stored in a special facility until it is needed ? when it can be sent directly to the patient without enduring the time consuming search for a bone marrow donor.

Cord blood donation raises a number of issues. Public cord blood storage units are not always available to the parents who wish to donate their baby's blood. While parents can choose to store the cord blood privately for their baby's later use, this can be expensive, and raises the question of whether the blood should wait for someone who might never use it or be given immediately to a patient in need.

For the moment, this remains the choice of the parents, who can choose to save their baby's cord blood, if they can afford to pay the price. Like all insurance policies, it might be one taken out with the hope that it never needs to be called in, but society continues to ask whether this is a policy whose benefits should be shared

Stem cells – The Master Cells of Human Body

2009-08-06T04:53:00.000-07:00

The Stem cells are predominantly called the "master cells” of the human body because of their ability to create all other tissues, organs, and systems in the body. The stem cells are the building blocks of your blood and immune system. They are the factory of the blood system and continually make new copies of themselves and produce cells that make every other type of blood --Red blood Cells, White Blood Cells and Platelets. There are basically three sources where stem cells can be easily found .

1) Bone Marrow
2) Peripheral Blood and
3) Umbilical Cord Blood

Various researches done in this field suggest that stem cells obtained from cord blood are relatively more advantages over those retrieved from bone marrow or peripheral blood because they are immunologic ally "younger" and appear to be more versatile. They also demonstrate an important characteristic with embryonic stem cells and are able to differentiate into nearly all cell types in the body. Secondly it is easy to get stem cells from cord blood because they are readily obtained from the placenta at the time of delivery. Harvesting stem cells from bone marrow requires a surgical procedure, performed under general anesthesia and can cause post-operative pain or pose a small risk to the donor.

The promise of using stem cells for medical treatments have been the focus of researches various projects that are showing encouraging results.

• Cord blood stem cells help in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
• They have also proven their ability in the treatments for heart disease, allowing patients to essentially "grow their own bypass."
• Stem cells have the potential to help cure many life-threatening ailments like leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, anemia, inherited disorders and all other deficiencies of the immune system.
• Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, liver disorders and heart ailments can also be treated with stem cells.

On the other hand a wider range of recipients can benefit from cord blood stem cells. These can be stored and transplanted back into the donor, to a family member or to an unrelated recipient. For a bone marrow transplantation, there must be a nearly perfect match of certain tissue proteins between the donor and the recipient. When stem cells from cord blood are used, the donor cells appear more likely to “take” or engraft, even when there are partial tissue mismatches.

Certain complications like graft versus host disease (GVHD), in which donor cells can attack the recipient’s tissues, are less likely to occur with cord blood than with bone marrow. This may be because cord blood has a muted immune system and certain cells, usually active in an immune reaction, are not yet educated to attack the recipient. A research done in this field revealed that children who received a cord blood transplant from a closely matched sibling were 59 percent less likely to develop GVHD than children who received a bone marrow transplant from a closely matched sibling.

Cord blood also is less likely to contain certain infectious agents, like some viruses, that can pose a risk to transplant recipients .In addition, cord blood may have a greater ability to generate new blood cells than bone marrow. Ounce for ounce, there are nearly 10 times as many blood-producing cells in cord blood. This fact suggests that a smaller number of cord blood cells are needed for a successful transplantation.

With the rapid advancement in Medical Science there has also been a corresponding development in the number of preserved cord blood units being used in regenerative medicine applications. If expectant parents store their baby's cord blood in a family bank, the stem cells are immediately available for use in medical treatments, including future therapies to repair or replace damaged heart tissues. As a result, an infant's cord blood could prove to be a life-saving treatment option if that child is born with a congenital heart defect, or later in life following a sudden and serious heart attack. In regenerative medicine, the latest scientific evidence suggests that using one's own stem cells likely delivers more favorable outcomes.

The Basics of Stem Cells

2009-08-06T04:48:00.002-07:00

Stem Cells are defined as a special type of "source" or "starter" cell that has the ability to grow into an adult tissue. These cells are the foundation for every organ, tissue and cell in the human body. Stem cells may be used to repair or replace damaged tissue, thereby beneficial in the treatment of life threatening diseases and injuries such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and blood diseases, to name a few.
Why are they called “STEM CELLS”?

Many people ask why stem cells are called by the name STEM CELLS.
As we all know that a stem is the main stalk of a plant. It holds the other parts of the plant like branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, etc. The same stem also carries food and water to the other parts. In short we can say that a stem is the backbone of a plant. Correspondingly, stem cells are the main trunk from which specialized cells develop and branch out over time.

Types of Stem Cells
There are mainly two types of stem cells —

a) Unlimited stem cells (also known as embryonic stem cells) and
b) Limited stem cells (also known as adult stem cells).

a) Unlimited stem cells are currently obtained with patients' permission from leftover three-day old embryos that would otherwise be discarded from fertility clinics. These embryos are created and exist entirely outside the body. Unlimited stem cells can develop into any kind of cell type or tissue in the body.
Although a patient may need only a few embryos, in the process of creating them, several more are made. The ones which are not implanted in the uterus are eventually discarded. Each year it is estimated that couples undergo 120,000 cycles of fertility treatment using in vitro (outside the body) fertilization (IVF), and from these cycles 7,500 embryos are discarded. Each of these embryos can be used to create a large number of unlimited stem cells.
Unlimited stem cells can develop into any kind of cell type or tissue and therefore have the potential to reverse numerous diseases and injuries. In addition, they can give scientists clues that will help them develop drugs that may help reverse or stop certain diseases. Unlimited stem cells offer significantly more promise in curing diseases and injuries than many limited stem cells can.

b) Limited stem cells are rare cells that can be found in only some developed organs or tissues. Limited stem cells have been successfully used for some time now in bone marrow transplants (either with bone marrow stem cells or umbilical cord blood stem cells) and skin and hair transplants.
Limited stem cells have been successfully used for some time now and still have great further therapeutic potential. However, limited stem cells can only be used to repair the types of organs or tissues from where they came, and not every organ has been shown to contain them (and they are often difficult to obtain.)
Also, unlimited stem cells can be replicated outside the body in a lab, so that they can ultimately help many patients, whereas limited stem cells cannot grow outside the body and have to be immediately frozen or transplanted into the patient.
Stem cells may be able to repair or replace damaged tissue, thereby reversing disease and injury. For example, heart muscle damaged by heart attacks might be replaced by new muscle cells. Stem cell research has the potential to impact not just one disease, but numerous ones. According to the scientists studying these diseases, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autoimmune disease, burn victims, blood diseases, leukemia, and spinal injuries could all benefit from stem cell research.
In fact, it is estimated that stem cell research has the potential to help over several million people world wide who suffer from these and other diseases and injuries.
Bio Box
The stem cells are the master cells of your body.

An Inside View Of Cord Blood Banking

2009-07-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

What do cord blood banks do? Well, they collect the umbilical cord blood from the donors, process it, test it, and save the cord blood donated by individuals. Blood drawn from each umbilical cord is cryopreserved (by freezing it) as an independent cord blood unit, which is now available for transplant. This entire process is known as cord blood banking.

Cord Blood Stem Cells – Some Benefits
Cord blood was first utilized in transplantation in 1988. Baby cord blood stem cells possess the capacity to treat diseases just like bone marrow – with very low rejection rate. Cord blood preservation has provided immense hope to the patients suffering from life-threatening diseases like leukemia, blood and immunity problems, and many cancers. Cord blood is rich in stem cells, which serve as the building blocks of blood and immune system of the body. The last few years have seen a large number of critically ill patients been treated with this amazing medical discovery.

About 25 per cent of the transplants come from siblings and the remaining from samples collected through cord blood donations. There has been a tremendous increase in the number of families willing to go for cord blood preservation. The Journal of the American Medical Association states that, every year, 10,000-15,000 people in the Unites States are in need of bone marrow transplant, but are unable to get a suitable donor. Looking at this statistic, we can say that umbilical cord blood transplant is the best alternative that medical science can ever have. According to the reports, September 1997 had about 1,500 cord blood transplants throughout the world.

Blood Bags – How Effective Are They
The cord blood bank uses either vials or blood bags for storing the cord blood. Both of them have their own advantage and disadvantage and there is no scientific evidence that states that one of them is better than the other.

The chief advantage of blood bags is that the doctors use the same bag for collecting and storing the umbilical cord blood. Thus, there is restricted handling of the bag, which in turn, reduces the probability of contamination. However, some medical experts are of the view that blood bags can rupture during prolonged storage whereas vials are less prone to breakage. Moreover, the latter seal the cord blood in double protective layers, thus, alleviating the virus contamination risks.

A cord blood banking provides the services of cord blood preservation to save the cord blood. Cord blood banking has become popular because the umbilical cord stem cells from baby cord blood can be used for treatment of various killer or serious diseases for you, your baby or any other member of your family. If you are concerned about costs of cord blood banking, you can consider opting for a public cord blood bank or cord blood donation. Visit Cord Blood Banking for more information.

Cord blood collection

2009-07-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

Cord blood stem cells are collected after the baby's birth from the umbilical cord. Cord blood collection takes place whatever the way of birth was chosen: vaginal or cesarean. Each cord blood bank offers a special kit for collecting cord blood stem cells after you have signed the Consent Form and the Questionnaire about your family health history. That kit is used before the elimination of placenta, which is also used for collecting blood and cells. Although the cesarean delivery is more complicated, cord blood collection may be made. In this case the quantity would be smaller, but still the collected stem cells may be used later in case of diseases.

Cord blood collection is made within 15 minutes after the birth and is not a painful operation. It is characterized by simplicity and safety for the mother and the baby, being done by the doctor or the nurse. There are two possible methods of collecting cord blood stem cells: syringe or bag method. Using the syringe method, the blood is drawn from the umbilical cord after it has been cut. This method resembles with the simple blood drawing. The bag method permits more cord blood to be collected, raising the umbilical cord, causing the flawing of the cord blood into the bag. Some caregivers assert that a closed-system bag is the most save, providing less chances of bacterial contamination. The collecting process usually doesn't last more that 5 minutes. The syringe or bag should have a label with the unique number of your baby. The collected cord blood should be processed by specialists in the laboratory within 48 hours and stored properly.

If you are wondering about the risks of a cord blood collection, then the answer is that no risks are included. This collection is available for any family since 1995 and is very important especially if your family medical history speaks about serious genetic or blood disorders or even heart or liver diseases.

Cord blood collection is performed by trained and responsible healthcare providers. There are special courses of educational and practical resources in order to provide professional and effective collection. The most effective and safe method implies as less as possible changes of the syringes or other containers in order to avoid contamination. While choosing a cord blood bank some questions should be raised about cord blood collection, about the used method, the time needed for the collection and the number of containers for your baby's cord blood stem cells.

Cord blood usage in infant medicine

2009-07-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

Cord blood is the name given to the human blood of the placenta, together with the umbilical cord, which is resulted after giving birth to a child. The recent medical innovations and discoveries include saving and using this cord blood for potential further medical operations, as its stern cells are of high importance and appropriation in various medical cases.
After collecting the cord blood in maximum 15 minutes after the baby is born, processing it is the following faze in order to be viable for further medical operations. The processing of cord blood includes specific steps, such as RBC depletion, shipping and the actual freezing. The freezing or, scientifically said, the cryopreservation is applied within 1 day after the actual collection and can be successfully preserved for indefinite years.
There are various pediatric solutions that include using the cord blood. The most major ones are the children cancers and blood diseases, including infant leukemia (juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia) or immune system disorders. All these are usually treated with chemotherapy, which, besides its benefic effects, also negatively affects some good cells. A significant cord blood usage in infant medicine is the marrow transplant. This procedure has the result of providing new and healthy blood cells, which leads to a safer immune system of the child. Besides these, there are some rare genetic diseases that require cord blood stem cells. Among these rare disorders, there is the fatal Krabbe Disease, which is characterized by causing severe degeneration of mental and motor skills of the child. If receiving the stem cells from the umbilical cord before the actual manifestation of the symptoms, the brain development can be successfully preserved. Hurler Syndrome, Adrenoleukodystrophy, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease are also other rare and severe conditions that affect the infants and can be successfully treated if using the cord blood stems. Hurler's Syndrome is a genetic and progressive disorder that results from the body's incapacity to make a significant enzyme. The disease damages many organs and most importantly, it affects the heart and causes death in the early teens. The Sandoff disorder has a result the progressive deterioration of the central nervous system and, like the Krabble disease, it is fatal before the age of 3 (three).
Cord blood is not used as a temporary solution in serious medical cases of infants. Cord blood actually provides a new and healthy blood structure that increases the safety of the immune system and prevents further imbalances.

The Pros and Cons of Cord Blood Donation

2009-07-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

There are so many misconceptions and debates around the collecting of cord blood as well as the use of stem cells. Because of this, many families have a hard time deciding whether or not cord blood donation is for them. Breaking down cord blood collection, donation, and use into pros and cons will likely help your family make the decision that is best for you.
These pros and cons are concrete facts; you’ll have to apply opinions, moral implications, etc on your own.

The Cons of Cord Blood Donation
· Cord blood donation is not something that can be done on a whim, a family must plan ahead to be sure that they have a kit for their chosen cord blood bank to make the collection. Many families find out when it’s too late to get involved with cord blood donation as it’s recommended that you contact a cord blood bank of your choice by the 34th week of pregnancy.

· Odds that you’ll use the collected cord blood yourself is low. The odds are that just on in 2,700 uses the cord blood and only one in 1,400 has a family member that will use it. Are these odds enough for you to go through the time and expense of collecting the cord blood?

· Cord blood collection is typically very expensive if you want to store it privately. It can cost about $1,500 for the collection as well as $500-$700 in start up costs and another $100 a year to store the cord blood. You’re talking about a huge expense for something you may never use.

· Cord blood usually measures just three to five ounces, making it a very limited resource. The stem cells that can be harvested from such a limited supply means that it just wouldn’t be enough when you are talking about an adult that might need the transplanted cells. For the storage to be useful, a child would need to use the stem cells, as the supply just wouldn’t be adequate for an adult.

· Public banks aren’t easy to give to. Only 30% of the blood donated to public banks actually gets banked because of health issues and small samples.

The Pros of Cord Blood Donation
Having cord blood available to you for future use is almost like an insurance policy.

· The use of cord blood and contained stem cells will become more common in the future as we develop ways to cure more cancers, diseases, even epidemics such as diabetes. There will be no limit to what stem cells can do as they can adapt and help to repair damaged cells within the body.

· Having stored cord blood will make transplantation easier if your child should need it in the future. One’s own stem cells are more likely to be accepted by the body, preventing serious complications such as graft-versus-host disease.

One must weigh the pros and cons against one another to decide how to be swayed. There is a lot of good that can come from cord blood storage, but only you can decide if that good outweighs the cons.

What Makes Umbilical Stem Cells Different?

2009-07-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

The collection of umbilical cord blood has become more and more common over the last five to ten years as people are beginning to realize the value of the blood. Umbilical cord blood contains stem cells, cells that can provide healing and repair of the most damaging and life altering conditions and illnesses. Not only are there stem cells contained within the umbilical blood, they are different than the stem cells that can be found in adults and children that are even a little bit older.

Umbilical stem cells are different from other stem cells, though researchers are still not sure what all the differences are, or if there are more than they already know about. Research into the differences between umbilical stem cells and those derived from other sources is a very active area of interest, and it’s likely to continue to be until we understand all the differences.

Right now we know that umbilical cord stem cells are newer, and that typically means healthier. Stem cells have the ability to go into any area of the body and duplicate the cells there, repairing, and even curing disease and damage, so it’s easy to see why the youngest healthiest stem cells are desirable. In terms of health and effectiveness it seems as though the younger stem cells would be favorable, though adult stem cells are highly effective as well.

The great advantage to using umbilical stem cells is that they are healthy and strong, so they will continue to divide for longer periods of time, which is great! The longer one stem cell will continue to divide and create new healthy cells, the quicker one may heal and have damage repaired. New stem cells may also allow for fewer transplantations to be made because they do go on to divide for longer than adult or other stem cells do.

One thing that sets umbilical stem cells apart from others is that they are easy to access. Almost every new mother is given information about cord blood collection and preservation, making it an easy source of stem cells to be used in the future. If cord blood was collected from a majority of babies, there would be easy access to these stem cells if an accident or illness that warranted their use and we’d probably see a huge decline in so many life altering diseases. Every child has cord blood, so it seems that in an ideal world it would be collected for every child, giving them a back up plan of sorts when the worst occurs later on in life.

Cord blood stem cells are new, healthy, and just ready to start repairing damaged areas of the body. If cord blood collection could be made standardized for all children, it would be a great source of stem cells for every person, for whatever reason they may need stem cell transplantation.

Common Misconceptions about Cord Blood Storage

2009-07-06T00:15:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of misconceptions about cord blood storage and donation because it’s still a new technology and many people are apprehensive to take part. Unfortunately, it’s these common misconceptions that allow people the pass up the opportunity to preserve this once in a lifetime blood and rich supply of stem cells within. Hopefully, as more and more success is had with using umbilical blood to save lives these misconceptions will be tossed out, but today they still exist.

Many parents believe that they shouldn’t bother storing stem cells because if theiYou shouldn’t bother storing stem cells because they’ll contain any disease your child might develop.r child develops a disease their stem cells will just reproduce the disease. This is a false belief, researchers have found and strongly believe that even diseases diagnosed in the first 12 months of life can be helped and even cured by stem cells. And, one’s own stem cells are always the preferred transplantation method as they are less likely to be rejected by the body. Stem cells taken from your child’s body are the best stem cells that could be used, and you cannot predict whether or not a disease will be diagnosed.

We probably won’t ever need the stem cells, so why bother storing them?
There is a misconception that your child will never need the stem cells, so you shouldn’t bother spending the time and expense to store the cord blood. While it’s true that only one in 2,700 children ever uses their own cord blood before the age of 21, statistics say that the average is one in every 1,400 family members will use the privately stored blood. Either way, your child or family member could be that one. And, as cord blood and stem cell research continue, it’s likely that cord blood will be used more and more. In the future we could see stem cells used to cure diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and much more. Storing the cord blood is preparing for the future, and that is important.

We don’t have a family history of cancer, so we don’t need to store cord blood.
This is a justification than many families make, yet a history of cancer can be started with your baby’s generation. In fact, one in 630 children will be diagnosed with cancer before they are 15. That gives your child a fairly high chance of developing cancer, so why not be preventative instead of sitting back and waiting for it to happen? Cord blood storage doesn’t have to be done because you think something bad is going to happen, it should be done because you want to have a plan in the rare even that it does happen.

There are a lot of misconceptions about cord blood storage. Many people dismiss the idea because they don’t think that disease and illness applies to them, their family, or their baby. No one plans for illness or disease, so why not plan ahead, so you have some security if things that you do not plan for actually become reality?

What to Look For When Choosing a Cord Blood Bank?..

2009-07-05T03:52:00.000-07:00

When you are comparing cord blood banks you may have a hard time figuring out which one is the right one for you and your family. Cord blood collection and storage is a fairly new technology and business, so it can be hard to determine who is legit and who is not. You may become so overwhelmed by all the information that you’ll give up and either decide not to have cord blood collected, or you’ll pick a random blood bank, which may not be the best idea.

Service
You’ll want to think about the service that any one cord blood bank is able to offer you. If you call and ask questions you should receive direct answers in a very patient and informative manner. You should feel like every cord blood bank really is able to educate you as much as possible. A cord blood bank can be a really good cord blood bank, but if they don’t provide you with the service you expect you should look for another cord blood bank.

Proven Technology
You’ll want to choose a cord blood bank that can provide you with adequate information about the technology they use to preserve the cord blood. A cord blood bank that has a controlled rate cryopreservation is best, as they will slowly freeze the sample gradually getting it to about –196 degrees. If the cord blood is frozen quickly it may damage the cells and banks that do this should be avoided to maintain the integrity of the stem cells contained in the cord blood.

Financial Stability
Financial stability is one of the most important aspects of choosing a cord blood bank, because many cord blood banks have to close the doors and file bankruptcy. You want to make sure that the cord blood bank has been around and has proven to be financially responsible. It’s also a good idea to ask what will happen to your cord blood should the company suddenly find itself bankrupt.

Accreditation
Accreditation is very important when you are looking into cord blood banks. Any bank that you consider should be fully accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. If the bank is not fully accredited or they try to sell you on their “accredited in progress” you’ll want to take your business elsewhere.

Type of Cord Blood Bank
One decision you’ll need to make is if you’ll be collecting the blood for private use or public donation. Public donation is something that you will need to check with your hospital on as many hospitals and public banks cannot work together due to funding issues. If you will be choosing a private bank you’ll more than likely be able to work with any bank of your choice. Inquire with your hospital or medical provider and they may be able to point you in the direction of the banks that they have had the most experience or success with.

Knowing what to look for when choosing a cord blood bank will make the process much easier. The science behind cord blood can be overwhelming and lead you to believe that you aren’t meant to understand the difference between good and bad banks, but like every other business cord blood banks have a duty of educating and serving their customers in a compassionate and straightforward manner. When you know what to look for, choosing a cord blood bank becomes a lot easier!

Risks Associated With Cord Blood Donation

2009-07-05T03:36:00.000-07:00

Cord blood donation is relatively new, so many people worry that donating blood or having it stored in a family bank will expose their baby to risks not worth the donation. Many people decline cord blood storage because they are afraid of the unknown. If you are working with a well-educated medical staff the risks associated with cord blood donation are virtually none.

Cord blood collection is medically safe for both the mother and child, and can be safely done in both vaginal and cesarean section births. The process is quick and simple, and when planned for, it’s a very routine process. Working with a doctor and medical staff that has experience with cord blood donation will make the process even more routine.

Cord blood donation does not change the birthing process at all. The mother will typically deliver the child as she normally would, and then the umbilical cord is clamped. After the umbilical cord is clamped and the placenta is delivered, trained staff members will drain the blood from the umbilical cord. The amount collected is usually three to five ounces, and it takes less than ten minutes. Neither the mother nor the child has to be present for the draining of the blood.

The only medical condition that has been reported to take care to avoid is anemia. Apparently, if the cord is clamped too quickly after delivery, there will be more blood in the cord, but it will rob the child of blood that he or she needs to avoid anemia. Again, if you are working with a trained staff you’ll find that this is not something that you have to worry about all that much. Risk of clamping the umbilical cord at the wrong time is always there, but this is where a good doctor comes in and ensures that your child’s well being is not going to be risked whether or not you are donating cord blood.

Anemia is a rare occurrence, and is not typically associated with cord blood collection. Usually, only good comes from cord blood collection whether or not you have it donated to a public bank or have it stored privately for your own personal use. If the health risks associated with cord blood donation are what has held you back from making the decision to do it, you might want to rethink it.
Cord blood donation is safe for the mother, safe for the baby, and will only provide hope and help in the future. The risk in not collecting cord blood is probably more substantial than if you do collect it, so allow the absence of risks to make you more comfortable with blood cord donation.

How Long Can Cord Blood Be Stored and Still Be Effective?

2009-07-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Cord blood storage is relatively new, and using the stored blood and stem cells is an even newer technology. Over the next ten years we’ll probably see the use of cord blood more and more to help repair damage within the body, and perhaps even cure diseases that have long been looking for a cure. Many people now question whether or not they should bother storing cord blood, wondering how long the cord blood will remain effective stored at such temperatures.

While there have been countless successful transplantations of stored cord blood, there is not all that much data to tell us for sure how long the cells remain effective after cryopreservation. The lack of data isn’t for the lack or storage or success with cells that were once stored, it’s because the whole technology is relatively new and with new technology comes less data than if you’re working with an old process.

What doctors know is that stored cord blood will remain effective for more than ten years once cryopreserved. New data supports the controlled rate freezing methods that most accredited cord blood banks currently use. Controlled rate freezing allows the blood to be cooled and frozen gradually to protect the integrity of the blood sample. Once the sample reaches – 196 it’s known that as long as the blood sample stays at this temperature with no variance that the blood sample is likely to remain intact and highly effective for more than ten years.

Because we know for certain that the cord blood is viable for more than ten years, we can assume that the cord blood will remain just as viable after twenty or even thirty years. This is good news, because the blood samples that are taken from an umbilical cord are typically quite small, three to five ounces, and would be best for younger people who wouldn’t need a large amount of stem cells. And, with a large percentage of kids being afflicted with cancer in their first 15 years of life it’s likely that the cord blood will be sufficient in the amount available as well as still being a viable source of cord blood or stem cells.

It’s likely that scientists will continue to learn new and useful things about cord blood storage all the time. As more samples are frozen and used, we’ll learn the rate of degeneration in stem cells, and also what we can do to combat such degeneration. Right now, with such a new technology, it’s hard to guarantee how long stored cord blood will remain viable. Even without a guarantee, many families are choosing cord blood storage because it offers more hope than not storing it at all.

Can my baby's Cord Blood Treat other family members?

2009-07-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

The life of your baby can be a blessing that has the opportunity to save the life of others you love.

Cord blood is a rich and valuable resource that is packed with young stem cells, and these can be used to treat a variety of potentially life-threatening diseases and conditions. Many parents are beginning to realize the unique opportunity that is offered to them following their baby’s birth. A simple procedure that does not affect mother or baby is used to drain the stem-cell-rich blood from the umbilical cord and placenta after birth. This cord blood can then be banked and could prove vital in years to come

Why could this cord blood prove vital? In short, it could save the life of your baby in future years and could even save the lives of other family members. Many parents see banking of their baby’s cord blood as an investment in life; a simple action that can provide peace of mind for many years to come.

This is because the survival rate associated with using your own cord blood or that of a family member is dramatically higher than the survival rate of using the cord blood of an unrelated donor. In fact, research has shown that the survival rate for those treated with family cord blood is as high as sixty-three percent compared to a twenty-nine percent survival rate for those that use an outsider’s cord blood.
The stem cells from cord blood do not need to be a perfect match, so anyone being treated with these cells has an instantly increased chance of survival. However, a family member’s chances of survival are increased even further.

Banking your baby’s cord blood could save your child’s life, your partner’s life and even your life in future years. With many diseases already being treated through this procedure, and the likelihood of this pool of treatable diseases increasing rapidly, the banked cord blood of your baby could make a real difference to the future of your family.

Storing cord blood stem cells

2009-07-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

Collection of umbilical cord blood stem cells can only take place immediately after a baby has been born. It's an opportunity parents should know about, all the facts so you can make your own informed decision.

*why should I consider this - many scientists and medical experts believe that cord blood stem cell therapy offers the promise of future treatments and potential cures for some of the most debilitating diseases, this is known as regenerative medicine. It's important to understand that whilst there is research that seems promising, it would be irresponsible for us to suggest that this research is guaranteed to become a reality.

*is it safe - the collection of cord blood stem cells is a straightforward process that takes place after the umbilical cord has been cut, you should however always discuss whether or not cord blood collection is suitable in your particular circumstances with your healthcare professional (usually your midwife) as every birth is unique. Whilst rare, it's possible that a collection may not be successful. The most important thing - for you, your healthcare professionals and us - is always the wellbeing of the baby and mother .

*what are the benefits - collecting cord blood stem cells increases the availability of donated matched stem cells (allogeneic transplants) and, the future potential of regenerative medicine treatments using your own stored stem cells (autologous transplants).

Transplants of donated cord blood stem cells are already taking place in UK hospitals. Transplants using a person's own stored cord blood stem cells could offer major benefits in the future. It's true that the research today is not proven and it needs more conclusive research, but billions of pounds are being spent worldwide ($3bn in California alone) and there are indications from human clinical studies, happening today around the world, that stem cell treatments for heart disease and diabetes for example could become a reality in our lifetime.

CORD BLOOD STEM CELL DONATION CAN MAKE YOUR BABY A SUPERHERO

2009-07-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

Cord blood from newborn babies can save the lives of critically ill patients, treating up to 70 different diseases.

Chicago, IL October 16, 2006 -- Your baby's umbilical cord blood could save the life of a critically-ill patient suffering from leukemia, lymphoma or more than 70 other diseases.
Cord blood donation requires simple, advanced preparation, and the obstetrician must act immediately after the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Fortunately, the donated blood is withdrawn from the umbilical cord after it is detached, so there is no discomfort for the mother or baby.

Yet, most delivery room doctors discard life-saving cord blood as medical waste, even though cord blood donation is desperately needed by tens of thousands of people who have life-threatening illnesses.

The need for cord blood donation from ethnic minorities (African-American, Asians, Hawaiians, Hispanics, Latinos, Native Americans and mixed races) is especially critical, because there are not enough suitable donations from these populations, and there is greater variation among tissue types in many minorities, which makes it more difficult to find a suitable match.

The blood in an umbilical cord consists of stem cells that can "transform" into various types of healthy cell tissue. That tissue may be a treatment for many serious illnesses, including leukemia and other cancers, sickle cell disease, brain tumors and osteoporosis. In the future, stem cells from donated cord blood may also be used to treat Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and diabetes.

Although some ill patients 'match' with a family member who can donate stem cells that are suitable for their treatment, nearly 75 percent of patients are not so fortunate. Cord blood donations can give these critically-ill patients a much better chance of finding stem cells that match their tissue type.

According to Michael Organ, executive director of Charity Guide, "Stem cell research has given the miracle of birth a whole new meaning: A newly delivered infant has the potential to save the life of another human being, just by donating umbilical cord blood that would otherwise be thrown away."

For expectant mothers who wish to donate their baby's cord blood to a public cord blood bank, Charity Guide provides step-by-step, "how to" instructions.

Unlike the ethical issues that surround embryonic stem cell research, stem cells from live-birth cord blood are collected from an umbilical cord that would otherwise be thrown away, so there are no moral dilemmas.

Cord Blood: You Are Your Own Best Donor

2009-06-27T04:02:00.000-07:00

When it comes to finding a donor for any medical issue, there are a number of problems and concerns. In most instances, individuals cannot find a proper match for their specific needs, leaving them unable to have a transplant. This is especially true with adoptive children who may not have biological siblings or other family members to check for matches, children without siblings or family members, and individuals of certain races or ethnicities that may not have access to other individuals of their race or ethnicity in their area. Even after a match is found, it is not guaranteed that the transplant will be a success, since the human body is conditioned to repel anything it deems “foreign,” even if the item will potentially save your life. Instead of having to worry about these concerns, imagine serving as your own donor, ensuring a perfect match every time and greatly diminishing the worry about rejection. For these many reasons, you may wish to bank cord blood.

According to the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood, cord blood is the blood that is found within the umbilical cord at birth. The umbilical cord serves as a lifeline between mother and child, allowing nutrients to pass to the child in the womb. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which have the potential to treat and cure a host of diseases, from cancer to Parkinson’s. The unique healing aspects of stem cells revolve around the fact that these cells have yet to be given a specific role to play in the human body. These indeterminate cells have the ability to become any type of cell that the body decides it needs, whether it will become a blood cell, bone cell, muscle cell, or any other cell imaginable, stem cells can transform into any cell most needed.

The reason why stem cells from cord blood work so well in transplants is because they take on the responsibility of the non-working cells they attempt to replace. For instance, in people suffering from leukemia, their body is no longer producing the appropriate number of white blood cells in their bone marrow. Before cord blood, leukemia patients must wait to find a bone marrow match and then undergo and transplant that may or may not work. Instead, the match is guaranteed, since the blood comes directly from your body, and the stem cells quickly translate into cells that will become properly working bone marrow to ensure production of white blood cells to fight the disease. Since stem cells can become any type of cells the body needs most, cord blood is used to treat and potentially cure numerous diseases and disorders, including sickle cell anemia and many forms of cancer, especially those affecting infants and children.

Since no donor is required, you do not have to suffer through the waiting period of seeing if a matching cord blood donor will be found. Treatment can begin immediately, allowing you a better chance for a complete recovery since the disease or disorder will not have taken a great hold on your body. Additionally, you can serve as a cord blood donor to your sick sibling using cord blood that is far more effective than anything else you can give to a brother or sister. Many parents choose to bank cord blood in order to treat another child who is experiencing problems—especially children battling childhood cancer. Since siblings are the best chance for a proper match for any type of transplant, cord blood works in many instances to save the life of an ill brother or sister.

The Value of Cord Blood in Medicine Today

2009-06-27T03:49:00.000-07:00

The blood that remains in the umbilical cord and in the placenta after a child’s birth is called cord blood. The composition of cord blood contains a great number of very important cells for the human organism (stem cells). In fact these cells construct the immune system and the blood system of the human body. They are “base” cells and they can transform into many other types of human cells.

Cord blood has a lot of extraordinary features and can be very useful in many situations. It can be used in the treatment of many diseases because stem cells have great curative powers. Also, the stem cells existing in the cord blood develop faster than bone marrow stem cells and they are more resistant to bacteria and disease. This recommends cord blood as one of the most potent natural resources of health and treatments.

Cord blood stem cells privately stored can be useful for the donor (baby) and also for other family members, and can avoid the unpleasant and expensive procedure of collecting stem cells from an unrelated donor in the case of the need of a transplant. Parents are highly advised to store their baby’s cord blood because of the health advantages that it can bring them in the future. There are even some companies that offer free collection and storage of the baby’s umbilical cord blood at the time of delivery.

There are a great number of malignant diseases than can be treated with the help of cord blood like Leukemia, Lymphoma Neuroblastoma (a type of cancer that has its origins in the adrenal gland and that develops in early childhood) and other types of cancer

It can also be used in the treatment of non-malignant diseases such as: Aplastic Anemia (deficiency in healthy red blood cells); Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome (frequent infections caused by a rare congenital syndrome); Congenital Cytopenia (a deficiency of blood cells); Hunter Syndrome (interferes with the body’s ability to break down a toxic complex carbohydrate); Osteoporosis (abnormalities in the structure of bones); Sickle Cell Anemia (the oxygen doesn’t get to the body’s organs because of the rapid breakdown of red blood cells); Thalassemia (a blood condition interfering with the hemoglobin production); and Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome (recurrent infections caused by a defective immune system). A great number of diseases specialists are hopeful of finding even newer cord blood treatments.

Stories Of Lives Saved By Cord Blood

2009-06-27T03:42:00.000-07:00

The advancements of medicine and technology are saving lives each year that would otherwise be lost to disease or medical disorder. Each year, more and more children are living through potentially terminal diseases and battling their way back to health with and help of cord blood. Cord blood is found within the umbilical cord and preserved upon the birth of the child. Since the blood contains stem cells, numerous diseases and disorders are successfully treated and even cured through transplants. Parents today are choosing to either bank cord blood for future use or donate their newborn’s cord blood so that ill children can take advantage of this life-saving blood.

An inspiring case is that of siblings Ashley and Kelvin J. of Maryland. These two children were both born with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome that is usually terminal, since the body’s immune system cannot fend off the germs that would otherwise be harmless to a healthy body. Projected life span for children diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCIDS) is approximately six months; however, both Ashley and Kelvin received a transplant of cord blood from anonymous donors whose cord blood was donated to public blood banks.

Another story that shows the success of using cord blood to treat potentially deadly diseases and disorders is that of brothers Blayke and Garrett L. of Los Angeles. Born three years apart, both boys developed a rare disorder known as lymphoproliferative disease. Blayke and Garrett’s immune systems were unable to successfully fight off germs commonly found in the world around them. Generally, at a very early age children diagnosed with lymphoproliferative disease develop mononucleosis, a potentially fatal disease that individuals with a working immune system commonly recover from. Again, thanks to the donation of cord blood from an anonymous donor, both boys are now living happy and healthy lives due to a blood transplant. If this option was not available, the young brothers’ only hope would be a painful and complicated bone marrow transplant that would not have had the same success rate as the cord blood transplant.

In addition to children using donated cord blood to survive the odds, more and more children are using their own cord blood to treat or cure diseases or medical disorders. These diseases are disorders may be present before birth or be developed after birth, but regardless the case, cord blood is an excellent tool in the fight to preserve life. A recent study at Duke University involved children diagnosed with Krabbe’s disease—a rare genetic disorder that affects the brain and attacks cognitive and motor functions. Twenty-five children diagnosed with Krabbe’s disease were followed and studied regarding their treatments. For those children treated with a cord blood transplant immediately after birth, 100 percent showed positive development and survival, whereas 43 percent of children treated with cord blood transplant after development of symptoms saw success.

These children are testament to the vitality of umbilical cord blood and should inspire parents to not let this life-saving blood go to waste. According to the informative Web site http://www.bankcordblood.info upon delivery of the child, technicians must work quickly to ensure they preserve the cord blood before it begins to clot and becomes useless. Whether you choose to store your child’s cord blood in a private blood bank or donate your child’s cord blood to a public blood bank so that it can potentially save the life of an Ashley, Kelvin, Blayke, or Garrett in the country, ensure that your child’s cord blood is used in the best possible manner. More and more, hospitals around the country are developing a system to ensure that all cord blood is either stored or donated—but not wasted.

The Umbilical Cord-Don't Rush to Cut

2009-06-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

If you or someone you know is pregnant, a recent study from JAMA is something you should know about. It has to do with when to cut the umbilical cord. That is probably something you never thought about, right?

The placenta and umbilical cord contain up to 60% of the fetal blood red cells and this blood is rich in stem cells. We are just learning how important these precious stem cells are in preventing blood disorders and diseases later in life. There has been controversy among obstetricians about the optimal time to clamp the umbilical cord in a normal childbirth. Early clamping is considered up to one minute after delivery. Late clamping is leaving the cord attached with blood flowing from placenta to infant for at least 2 minutes.

The researchers carefully reviewed all of the world's literature on this subject and compared studies. They found that delaying clamping of the umbilical cord for at least 2 minutes after birth consistently improved both the short- and long-term blood and iron status of full term infants and this benefit lasted for months. This benefit would be even more important in developing countries where the mothers are often anemic and infant anemia is widespread.

If you think about childbirth in nature, there would not be a rush to cut the cord. The infant is tethered to the mother for several minutes during birth and there is likely a selection advantage for this. We are entering a new era in medicine as we study best practices and use this evidence in care of patients. This is called "evidenced-based" medicine, as opposed to much of how we care for patients which is anecdotal and varies depending on where the physician is trained. Any time we can know what the current evidence shows and use that evidence to practice in the best way, patients all over the world benefit.

The evidence is clear...don't clamp the umbilical cord for at least 2 minutes so the infant can receive all of the important blood components from the placenta and cord.

Claims Umbilical Cord Preservation A Waste Of Money

2009-06-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Umbilical cord blood preservation makes the news yet again. The Brisbane Courier Mail has published an article that claims that many Australians are wasting their money through umbilical cord preservation using private companies. They cite the lack of use of preserved umbilical cord blood as their rationale.

am not in a position to dispute their facts. Umbilical cord preservation has been available privately for since 2002. The fact that no request has been made to 'withdraw' the preserved blood for medical use does not necessarily mean that Australians have 'wasted' their money. I am sure the parents of these children are happy in the knowledge they healthy and have not needed to preserved umbilical cord blood.
What does concern me is the cost associated with the collection and preservation of umbilical cord blood and the lack of cooperation by some public hospitals. In Australia, parents are charged between $3000 and $5700. This is a lot of money when you consider that other countries, such as the US, only charge around $1000-$1500 for the same service.

As for the public hospitals not being willing to participate in the collection process, it seems to be denial of a parents rights. This is even more disturbing when the hospital is quite happy to collect the umbilical cord blood if the parent is willing to donate it the public bank.
I must admit I do have doubts about the private umbilical cord blood preservation issue, however I do believe parents have a right to decide for themselves. It is their child and the umbilical cord blood does belong to that child. If they wish to have it stored for future use, who are we to deny them that right?

Umbilical cord blood does seem to offer hope to sufferers of some conditions. More research is required and more trials undertaken. Since the collection, if done correctly, harms no one, I don't see the problem.

The newspapers headline really sensationalizes the issue:

AUSTRALIAN parents have paid millions of dollars to store their children's cord blood - but not one sample has been used for life-saving treatment.

say so what! If parents want to pay for an umbilical cord preservation service, that is their right!

How Safe is Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant?

2009-06-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

Cancer, which was supposed to be an incurable disease, can now be cured if detected at the right time. The rapid advancement in Science and Medicine has opened wide vistas before us for the treatment of life threatening diseases including AIDS, Neurotic diseases and Genetic disorders. In many cases your doctor might suggest a Stem Cell transplant or a Bone marrow transplant as the possible solution for your disease. In this case a cord blood transplant may be a good option.

These stem cells are the blood forming cells of human body and are widely being used in transplants. These cells help in the production of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Earlier there were only 2 reliable sources of Stem Cells: Bone Marrow and peripheral Blood. But recently it has been found that Umbilical Cord Blood is also good and rich source of stem cells. The waste cord and the blood contained in it were usually discarded after the birth of the baby but now it has been discovered that this cord blood is an extremely rich source of stem cells which can be readily used in transplants.

During last ten years, more than 4000 umbilical cord blood transplants (UCBT) have been performed worldwide. The interest in this mode of transplant has grown drastically, as this provides easy access to an alternative for treating cancer and serious diseases. The first cord blood transplant was done in 1988 on a young cancer patient. Seeing the tremendous success of this experiment, it became a regular practice with many doctors to recommend UCBT as the solution for the treatment of a disease.

On the other hand there are some critics of UCBT who think that many complications can arise after a transplant. One of the common problems that can crop up after an Allogenic Transplant (Stem cells retrieved from cord blood of an outside donor ) is Graft Versus Host Disease or commonly known as (GVHD). The consequences of GVHD can range from mild to severe and sometimes terminating. That is why there are chances that the doctor might not approve of Cord Blood transplant.

The Reasons for Disapproval are: Many times there may not be enough blood-forming cells in the cord blood as one needs a required number of Stem Cells for a successful transplant. Secondly cord blood cells take longer to grow and produce new blood cells and till the cells engraft, the patient is at a high risk for infection. Thirdly there is no scope of getting backup cells from the same cord blood unit. However, doctors may be able to use a different cord blood unit or a backup adult donor instead.

A Cord blood transplants is as dicey as a Bone marrow or peripheral blood transplant. The risk of infection may be higher after a cord blood transplant because of the longer time to engraft. The chances of developing GVHD is however low, but the risk is still there. As every patient?s Case History is different from others, if you are considering UCBT for the cure of some problem do consult the experts in this field before taking a decision.

What are the advantages of cord blood?

2009-06-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

Cord blood offers a number of advantages to donors and transplant recipients. It is easy to collect, more likely to provide a suitable match and is stored frozen, ready to use.

1. Cord blood collection is easy and risk-free.
Cord blood collection is a safe, simple procedure. The New York Blood Center's National Cord Blood Program staff collects cord blood from the delivered placenta, which does not interfere with the care of the mother or newborn baby. Collection, therefore, poses no risk to mother or baby.

2. Cord blood is collected in advance, tested and stored frozen, ready to use.
Cord blood is donated in advance for anyone who might need it in the future. All routine testing is completed and the unit is stored frozen, ready to use. If a match is found, it can be reserved immediately. Confirmatory HLA typing and any special testing required is usually completed within 5-7 days. Unlike bone marrow, there is no need to take time to locate a possible volunteer and then determine whether he or she is still willing and able to donate.

3. Cord blood doesn't require a perfect match.
The ability to transplant cord blood with only a partial donor-recipient match is its greatest advantage. Bone marrow usually requires a 6/6 HLA match between the donor and recipient. Cord blood has been transplanted successfully with as few as 3/6 matches, although patients do best when their cord blood graft is at least a 5/6 match.

Because partially matched cord blood transplants are acceptable, cord blood offers patients a better chance to find a suitable donor. With cord blood, a relatively small donor pool can effectively support most patients' needs. We estimate, for example, that a national inventory of 150,000 cord blood units would provide 6/6 or 5/6 matches for at least 80-90% of patients in the United States.

4. Cord blood poses fewer risks of certain complications to the recipient.
The immune cells in cord blood seem to be less likely than those in bone marrow from unrelated donors to attack the patient's own tissues (graft vs. host disease). Cord blood is also less likely to transmit certain viruses, like cytomegalovirus (CMV), a potentially lethal infection for transplant recipients. CMV is carried as a latent virus by about half of the adult U.S. population, whereas less than 1 percent of infants are born with CMV.

Human umbilical cord blood as a source of Transplantable progenitor cells

2009-06-09T04:16:00.000-07:00

Human umbilical cord blood cells have many advantages as grafts for cell transplantation because of the immaturity of newborn cells compared with adult cells.

Stem cells are found in all multi-cellular organism. They retain the ability to renew themselves and can differentiate into a diverse range of specialised cell types.
As stem cells can be grown and transformed into specialized cells with characteristics consistent with cells of various tissues such as muscles or nerves through cell culture, their use in medical therapies has been proposed. In particular, embryonic cell lines, autologous embryonic stem cells generated through therapeutic cloning, and highly plastic adult stem cells from the umbilical cord blood or bone marrow are touted as promising candidates.

Human umbilical cord blood cells have many advantages as grafts for cell transplantation because of the immaturity of newborn cells compared with adult cells. In contrast to their hematopoietic and mesenchymal potential, it remains unclear whether umbilical cord blood cells have endodermal competences. Here, with a view to utilize umbilical cord blood cells for cell transplantation into injured liver, we investigated the hepatic potential of umbilical cord blood cells both in vitro and in vivo. We determined the most efficient conditions leading umbilical cord blood cells to produce albumin. In a novel primary culture system supplemented with a combination of growth/differentiation factors, about 50% of umbilical cord blood cells in 21-day cultures expressed albumin, and the albumin cells coexpressed hepatocyte lineage markers.

The albumin expressing cells were able to proliferate in the culture system. Moreover, in the cell-transplantation model into liver-injured severe combined immunodeficient mice, inoculated umbilical cord blood cells developed into functional hepatocytes in the liver, which released human albumin into the sera of the recipient mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that human umbilical cord blood is a source of transplantable hepatic progenitor cells. Our finding may have relevance to clinical application of umbilical cord blood derived cell transplantation as a novel therapeutic option for liver failure.

Private Cord Blood Banking vs. Public Donation

2009-06-09T04:06:00.000-07:00

Pros & cons to help you decide if public cord blood donation or private cord blood banking is right for your family.

List of Pros and Cons
Deciding on a cord blood banking method is not easy. There are many factors to consider when choosing what is right for your family. Below you will find a list of pros and cons for each type of cord blood bank.

Public Cord Blood Banks - Pros:
1) Accept free donations
2) Strive to provide suitable cord blood to help people in need free of charge.
3) They provide stored cord blood for medical research (sometimes at a profit).

Public Cord Blood Banks - Cons:
1) Like any transplant, finding a suitable match can sometimes be a challenge.
2) There is no guarantee that the cord blood you donated or a suitable match will be available if a family member should need it.
3) Even if a match is found, there is a higher chance of rejection when receiving cord blood from non-relatives.

Private Cord Blood Banks - Cons:
1) For genetic diseases, a transfusion using a person’s own cord blood may not be sufficient.
2) There is a fee for collection and storage.
3) Doesn’t serve the “greater good”.

Private cord blood banks- Pros:
1) Allow you to bank your baby’s cord blood exclusively for your family’s use.
2) If your child will need a stem cell transplant in the future, there will be no need to search for a suitable donor.
3) If a family member will need a stem cell transplant in the future, there is a higher chance that your baby’s cord blood will be a suitable match.

Take your time to discuss and weigh out all of your cord blood banking. Both public and private banks offer your family a service that helps to secure your child’s health. Read a complete pros and cons list for public and private cord blood banking.http://www.mazecordblood.com/private-vs-public.htm

Treatable Diseases with stem cells

2009-06-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

Research on Stem cell therapy has shown that these could be used to treat more than 75 life-threatening diseases. Some of these include

• Cancers: Many cancers including: Acute and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
• Blood Disorders: Thalessemia, Sickle Cell Disease, Fanconi's Anemia
• Immuno Deficiencies: Kostmann Syndrome, Omenn's Syndrome, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
• Familial Disorders: Breast Cancer
• Musculoskeletal Connective Tissue Disorders: Osteopetrosis
• Metabolic/Storage Disorders: Hunter's Disease, Leukodystophies

Check out the complete list of Treatable Diseases with Stem Cell Transplant
ACQ Idiopathic Siderblastic Anemia

Acute Biphenotypic Leukemia• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)• Acute Myelofibrosis• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)• Acute Undifferentiated Leukemia• Adrenoleukodystrophy• Advanced Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)• Agnogenic Myeloid Metaplasia(myelofibrosis)• Amegakaryocytosis / Congenital Thrombocytopenia• Amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia• Aplastic Anemia (Severe)• Ataxia-Telangiectasia• Bare Lymphocyte Syndrome• Batten disease (inherited neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis)• Beta Thalassemia Major• Blackfan-Diamond anemia• Breast Cancer• Burkitt's Lymphoma• Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia• Chediak-Higashi Syndrome• Chronic Granulomatous Disease• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)• Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML)• Common Variable Immunodeficiency• DiGeorge Syndrome• Dyskeratosis congenita• Essential Thrombocythemia• Evans syndrome• Ewing Sarcoma• Familial Erythrophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis• Fanconi Anemia• Gaucher's Disease• Glanzmann Thrombasthenia• Gunther disease• Hemophagocytosis• Histiocytosis-X• Hodgkin's Disease• Hunter's Syndrome (MPS-II)• Hurler's Syndrome (MPS-IH)• Juvenile Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (JCML)• Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML)• Kostmann's Syndrome• Krabbe Disease• Langerthans cell histiocytosis• Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome• Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency• Liposarcoma• Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome (MPS-VI)• Metachromatic Leukodystrophy• Morquio Syndrome (MPS-IV)• Mucolipidosis II (I-cell Disease)• Multiple Myeloma• Myelofibrosis Myeloid Metaplasia• Myelodysplastic Syndrome - Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia - Refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation• Neutrophil Actin deficiency• Neuroblastoma• Niemann-Pick Disease• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma• Omenn's Syndrome• Osteopetrosis• Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH)• Pancytopenia• Plasma Cell Leukemia• Polycythemia Vera• Prolymphocytic Leukemia• Pure Red Cell Aplasia• Refractory Anemia (RA)• Refractory Anemia wih Excess Blasts (RAEB/RAEB-T)• Refractory Anemia w/ Ringed Sideroblasts (RARS)• Renal Cell Carcinoma• Reticular Dysgenesis• Retinoblastoma• Sanfilippo Syndrome (MPS-III)• Scheie Syndrome (MPS-IS)• Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)• Sickle Cell Anemia• Sly Syndrome, Beta-Glucuronidase Deficiency (MPS-VII)• ß-thalassemia (Cooley's anemia)• Thymic dysplasia• Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia• Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome• Wolman Disease• X-linked lymphoproliferative Disorder (XLP)

CORD BLOOD BANKING

2009-06-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

When a pregnant lady in US was first told that she might be suffering from multiple sclerosis, she immediately paid heed to a suggestion from her obstetrician that saving the umbilical cord blood from her baby in a cord blood bank might be a good idea. It might well turn out to be a smart move on her part because the cord blood rich in stem cells might well turn out to be a biological insurance policy for her child. It gives her (and countless mothers like her) a sense of security, says she. Similarly, the concept of cord blood banking has been gaining strength all over the world, including India.
United States has an increasing number of people who opt to bank that blood in the cord blood storage companies by spending their own money, so that their family may use the same in case of a probable medical emergency. In this particular case, even if the child doesn’t need the cord blood, the lady may still benefit from its banking if ever a cure for her multiple sclerosis condition may be found in the future.
Cord blood is known to be rich in stem cells, which have the ability to change into any body tissue type and replicate within the body. The cord blood stem cells stored in the cord blood stem cell bank have so far been used to treat blood disorders and even cancer. More than anything else, it is the potential of the stem cells in the regenerative medicine that has the people in the medical fraternity most excited.
Now, the researchers are looking for new methods to grow different types of tissues so that diseases affecting the brain and the spinal cord, many kinds of strokes, diabetes and many other serious ailments can also be treated using stem cell therapy. This potential alone is making many companies spend billions of dollars in research whereas people are spending money to save the cord blood of their children. It is considered to be a powerful treatment resource. Big names such as Spain’s Princess Letizia and her husband, Crown Prince Felipe de Bourbon, also announced that they have stored the cord blood cells of their young daughters.
The research into the stem cells procured from cord blood still has a long way to go, but the medical fraternity argues that there is only one chance to preserve the cord blood of the child, and that’s during the time of birth. New treatments may just be discovered over the next 5-10 years, and you must make sure that your child’s cord blood stem cells are there for such treatments.

What are Stem Cells ?

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Umbilical cord blood is a rich resource of fetal stem cells. These stem cells are the "building block" cells of blood, tissue and organs. They are the earliest cells found in the fetus, which then replicate efficiently and rapidly to create more blood, liver tissue, heart tissue, etc.

Fetal Stem Cell Types:
There are currently two identifiably different types of fetal stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells are found in the fetus itself and hematopoietic stem cells are found in cord blood.
Pluripotent stem cells that are present in embryos are the most basic stem cells. Since they are so primitive (or undifferentiated) they can actually create and form new tissue and new organs. This is what makes them so medically useful. Because they are found within the fetus itself, the use of them is controversial.
The fetal stem cells found in the baby's cord blood, "hematopoietic" stem cells, are different. They are not as primitive as the pluripotent stem cells since they have already started to become blood stem cells. They can, however, rapidly and efficiently create new blood for a patient. The stem cells found in cord blood have been used to regenerate new blood in patients who have blood diseases. The uses for hematopoietic fetal stem cells have grown dramatically over the years.

Potential Uses for Fetal Stem Cells :
Until recently, it was assumed that these hematopoietic stem cells, obtained from cord blood, could only be used as building blocks for blood cells. These stem cells were thought to be useful only in treating blood diseases. If you look closely at the list of current treatments for which fetal stem cells are used, all of them are diseases of the blood.
Recently, cord blood research has discovered evidence that suggests that, under the right circumstances, cord blood may be conditioned to "change" into the building blocks of organ tissue. If that is the truly the case. then the potential uses of cord blood stem cells will be extraordinary, including treatment for everything from breast cancer to heart disease to diabetes.

Top Ten Reasons To Bank Your Cord Blood....

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1---Peace of Mind.
2---Biological Insurance.
3---65 diseases and disorders currently treated today and 40 are specifically treated using umbilical cord blood.
4---A future filled with promising results using adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, lupus, various forms of cancer and many more currently being explored.
5---Umbilical cord blood banking is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collect these types of adult stem cells.
6---Umbilical cord blood stem cells are young, healthy and more viable than they will ever be after being exposed to the environmental factors of everyday life.
7---Umbilical cord blood is rich in these stem cells and we can never duplicate the great numbers of stem cells found in this blood ever again.
8---Banking your baby’s cord blood is inexpensive compared to trying to find a donor in which the chances are only 1 in 50,000 and 1 in 100,000 if ethnicity is involved.
9---Public bank specimen supplies may decrease with time as a result of more treatments requiring stem cells.
10---It is a painless, harmless and quick procedure that is completed after delivery

How do I choose a cord blood bank?

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When choosing a cord blood bank, you should do your own research as well as speak to your obstetrician. Factors to consider when making the final decision include:

1---Accreditations: health agencies ensure high standards. AABB (American Association of Blood Banks), AATB (American Association of Tissue Banks), CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act) and CAP (College of American Pathologists) are some of the agencies that inspect laboratories.
2---You should know where the banks store the cord blood and how they are delivered. Cord blood should be processed within 24 hours of collection to ensure the highest viability of the stem cells. Choosing a bank close to your home can reduce many risks associated with delays in the transportation and processing.
3---Be sure a medical courier is used to guarantee the cord blood is handled and delivered in an appropriate manner.

Cord blood banking is slowly becoming standard practice. It is a form of medical insurance that when needed can make the difference between life and death. The stem cells from cord blood can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. It can be used for the child as well as family members. The choice of facilities should be made after careful consideration and in communication with your obstetrician.

What are the chances that the cord blood will be used?

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Cord blood banking should be used as a form of medical insurance. Like many other insurance policies, you hope that you will never need it. Various studies have estimated the likelihood of having to use your stored cord blood to be 1:2700 to 1:1400

What is the cost of cord blood banking?
The cost of cord blood banking ranges from $900 and $2000 for the first year. The average cost is $1200 for the first year and $90 a year thereafter. Payment plans are usually available.

A Natural Lifeline

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Umbilical cord blood was successfully used for the first time in Paris in 1988. A child with a rare but lethal form of anemia (Fanconi's anemia) was treated and survived. This transplant marked the first of what has become a lifesaving measure for more than 45 conditions including hereditary diseases and cancer. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which are the building blocks of the blood and the immune system. These biologically unique cells have the ability to develop into other cell types within the body. Stem cells collected from the umbilical cord have the ability to replace bone marrow and to produce various blood and immune cells.
Cord blood can also be used for family members. There is a 50% chance of a perfect match for a parent and 25% chance for a perfect match for a sibling. However, one of the many benefits of cord blood is that you do not need a perfect match because stem cells from umbilical cord are very immature and have limited exposure to the environment and viruses, unlike bone marrow.
In the future, umbilical cord blood stem cells may be used to treat conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, and stroke.
Collection of umbilical cord blood is simple and safe. It poses no risk or discomfort to the mother or newborn child. The blood is extracted from the placenta after the baby is born and after the umbilical cord has been cut. If not collected at the time of delivery, this precious blood is discarded along with the placenta.
The decision to bank umbilical cord blood is best made by the 28th week of pregnancy. This allows you ample time to discuss the procedure with your obstetrician and to choose the facility that best fits your needs.

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking

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As you plan for the birth of your child, you are likely to face many important decisions. One of those is whether to store your child's umbilical cord blood at the time of delivery.
Listed below are various issues you will need to consider before making your final decision. The importance of cord blood banking is becoming more evident as the list of diseases treatable with umbilical cord blood continues to grow. There is only a brief window of opportunity to obtain umbilical cord blood: immediately following the delivery of the baby and while the placenta is still attached. It is of utmost importance that you make your decision ahead of time and discuss it with the obstetrician who will be performing the delivery.
In preparation, you should investigate the various storage facilities and consider issues such as technique, reputation, and cost.

What if I want to donate my baby’s cord blood?

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You must pre-register during your pregnancy. If you agree to donate your baby’s cord blood, you will be asked to:

1---Spend 15 minutes speaking with a Cord Blood Bank staff member to complete a confidential maternal and family history form.
2---Sign a consent form.
3---Provide a blood sample, drawn from your arm when you are admitted to the hospital, which will be tested for infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV.

Will donating my baby’s umbilical cord blood change my delivery experience?

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Donating cord blood will not change your labor or delivery in any way. During delivery, all the focus is on you and your baby. No blood is ever taken from your baby, only from the cord and placenta after the baby is born and the umbilical cord has been cut.

Why is there an urgent need for minority and mixed-ethnicity donors?

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Tissue types are inherited so people are more likely to match someone who shares their racial or ethnic heritage. Stem cells of African American, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans are in very short supply. Increasing the number of units from these families will improve the odds that a match will be found for people of African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, or mixed decent.

Why is it important to have a large number of different cord blood units available?

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For a transplant to be successful, the tissue type of the donor needs to match the patient’s as closely as possible. The likelihood of a close match between any two people (even family members) is very small. A large number of banked units increase the likelihood that a match will be found for a specific person.

What other options are there?

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1---Public cord blood bank – cord blood can be donated to a public cord blood bank. This makes the cord blood available for any person in need of a transplant. It is done anonymously. There is no charge to you if you donate the cord blood to a public bank.
2---Research – Cord blood can be donated for research studies. Doctors, researchers, laboratories and technology companies conduct studies on cord blood to develop new therapies and learn more about the biology of cells.
3---Private cord blood bank – cord blood can be stored in a private cord blood bank for use by your family. In the event that someone related to your baby requires treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease or another serious condition, the cord blood might provide a suitable match for a transplant. Collection and annual storage fees will be charges.

If you decide to bank or donate your baby’s cord blood, arrangements must be made before you deliver the baby.

BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT CORD BLOOD

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What is “cord blood”?
Cord blood is the blood left over in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born.

Why is it important?
Cord blood is rich in blood-forming stem cells that can be used to treat people with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening conditions.

Are cord blood stem cells the same as embryonic stem cells?
No. Cord blood stem cells do not come from an embryo. They are in the blood of the umbilical cord and placenta.

What is usually done with cord blood after the baby is born?
Unless the mother decides otherwise, the cord blood is thrown away as a medical waste product.