Thursday, May 27, 2010

Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells

If we want to make our world a healthy place to live in, then an ample amount of commitment lies with the medical and scientific community. With extensive stem cell research and development underway worldwide, it is possible to treat many diseases for which cures did not exist. One such medical advancement is the discovery of umbilical cord blood stem cells.


Medical researchers have discovered that cord blood which is a rich source of stem cells has been proven effective in curing a number of diseases which were otherwise considered as incurable. Many doctors suggest that parents-to-be seriously consider the opportunity to bank cord blood stem cells at birth to safeguard their family’s future health and well-being. Cord blood preservation is not only potentially useful for the baby but may also possibly be used to treat another family member. Following birth, umbilical cord blood from the new born has historically been discarded as biological waste and, as a result, all of the valuable stem cells are also lost. Today, many doctors recommend that the cord blood stem cells be preserved through the process of umbilical cord blood collection.

However, with all of the expenses that are associated with having a baby, many families struggle with whether or not they should preserve their baby’s cord blood. Cord blood preservation at a private family cord bank involves a one-time fee for collection, processing, testing and cryopreservation; and there is an annual storage fee. Although there are many private cord banks that charge fees of up to $2250, there are other high-quality cord banks that offer superior service for much less and even include other benefits such as contributing part of the banking fee to your child’s college-savings plan. Any family considering cord blood banking should compare cord blood banks before choosing a provider.

Another option for families to consider is umbilical cord blood public donation. Cord blood stem cells donated to a public cord blood bank become anonymous specimens that are part of a public cord blood registry. Cord blood donations are used on a first-come, first-serve basis for individuals who require transplant and match a donated specimen in the public cord bank. If a family that donates cord blood to a public cord bank later needs that cord blood specimen for transplant, there is no guarantee that their child’s specimen will be available which may result in additional time and expense associated with efforts to source a cord blood stem cell match.

In today’s world, cord blood transplant has become a frequently used alternative to bone marrow transplants. Unlike bone marrow specimens which require an exact match of tissue type, cord blood stem cells have a lower immune response and are easily harvested in a painless, non-invasive manner. Over 12,000 cord blood stem cell transplants worldwide have treated nearly 80 diseases.

Healthcare Investment? Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking

If you are about to give birth to a new baby and have heard about cord blood stem cell banking, then you may wish to bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood for future potential therapies. There are a lot of reasons why you should consider banking your child’s cord blood.

Researchers have discovered that umbilical cord blood contains some very important stem cells which are required for the growth of a healthy immune system. Umbilical cord blood stem cells can be used to treat a number of diseases like inherited red cell abnormalities, lymphoma, plasma cell disorder, neuroblastoma and myeloma. More and more research is being undertaken to find out the benefits of umbilical cord blood stem cells, and umbilical cord blood may potentially be used to treat many more diseases such as juvenile diabetes and multiple sclerosis in the future.

Cord blood stem cells have been used in over 12,000 transplants worldwide to treat nearly 80 diseases. However, the process can be expensive for a private storage facility, but the safeguard that it offers your family may far outweigh the cost. Cord blood stem cells are a 100 percent match to the donor child and there is a one in four chance that cord blood stem cells will match the donor’s siblings or perhaps another first-degree relative. An increasing number of auto-immune and degenerative diseases can be treated by umbilical cord blood stem cells and by privately storing your newborn’s cord blood you can safeguard your family’s future health and well-being.

Once you have decided to store your baby’s cord blood stem cells, you are just one step away in ensuring that the cord blood is kept properly for future use. Various methods are utilized for the purpose of cord blood stem cell storage. The entire process of having your child’s cord blood collected, processed, tested and cryo-preserved has been around for nearly twenty years. The first cord blood stem cell transplant occurred in 1988. The cord blood is collected, processed, tested and stored immediately after the baby is born and the process is safe and painless. The cord blood specimen is transferred to the laboratory of the storage company for processing. The cord blood specimen is frozen and placed in a cord blood stem cell storage tank cooled by liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus 190 degree Celsius. This low temperature helps to preserve the stem cell for possibly decades or longer thereby allowing the stem cells to be used for future therapies if and when needed. With rapid progress in stem cell research and development, cord blood stem cells may be a healthcare investment that could potentially grow in value over time as new stem cell therapies emerge.

A Milestone in Medical Science

In a world where people are afflicted with a number of incurable diseases finding a cure for them can represent a major milestone in medicine. With advancements in medical science and in the realm of stem cell research, curing debilitating diseases may lead to a better way of life for all of humanity.

One such advance in the sphere of medicine and healthcare can be said to be the discovery of cord blood stem cells and cord blood. Cord blood is the blood which is derived from the umbilical cord of a new born baby and has a rich supply of stem cells. This cord blood can be used to treat many diseases and may transform into many other stem cell types which are necessary for our body’s survival. In order to save this precious blood, a number of cord blood banks are available where you can store the blood for possibly decades or longer. Cord blood banks start the collection process immediately after the baby is born where the blood which is present in the umbilical cord is collected, processed, tested and stored.

Once you have made up your mind to save your baby’s cord blood, deciding whether to store the baby’s blood in a private family cord blood bank or to donate it to a public cord blood bank can become a major choice. However, if you have opted to store at a private cord blood bank, it is always better to compare cord blood banks to get detailed information about which bank will provide the highest quality and most reliable cord banking service at the best value for your family. Remember to find out the level of expertise of the facility of the cord bank as well as the level of training of the staff. You should inquire about cord bank quality accreditations; cord bank state-of-the-art facility; cord bank longevity; number of cord blood clients; cord blood service features and compare cord banking costs. It is critical to know where your child’s blood is going to be stored before making the final commitment to a particular facility. While comparing cord blood banks, you can also talk to other families and review cord bank client testimonials from those who have stored cord blood to learn about their experiences with cord blood banks. Remember it is for your child’s benefit that you compare cord blood banks because nothing is more important than your child’s future health and well-being.

The rich cord blood which contains cord blood stem cells can be used to treat a number of diseases like leukemia, metabolic disorders, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and other genetic immune deficiencies. Researchers have found out that cord blood stem cells are capable of treating nearly 80 diseases and conditions. The preservation of cord blood stem cells in cord blood banks is non-invasive and does not impact the mother or the newborn. However, cord blood stem cells which are privately preserved for future use include a one-time fee for processing, testing, and cryo-preservation; and a fee for annual storage. Considering the benefits of cord blood, the preservation of cord blood stem cells can be potentially helpful in treating many diseases and as there is heightened education and awareness of cord blood benefits, more and more people will likely opt for the preservation of umbilical cord blood.

U- Cord Blood Stem Cells

What if you discover that one of your family members is suffering from a devastating illness like leukemia? You would try to find ways and means to cure this disease at the earliest possible time. If you had once cryopreserved stem cells harvested from your newborn’s umbilical cord blood, then you may take a sigh of relief that there may be a proven potential treatment available.

Your once thoughtful act may over time help a loved one with a potentially life-impacting treatment because you had the foresight to safeguard your baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells at Cryo-Cell International, Inc, one of the world’s leading private family cord blood banks. Many people are learning about the benefits of stem cells and their potential utilization in regenerative medical therapies. It is a proven fact that cord blood stem cells which are harvested from the umbilical cord of a new born baby have a vital supply of stem cells.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used in over 12,000 transplants worldwide to treat nearly 80 diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, thalasemia and sickle cell anemia. In recent years, umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used experimentally to treat diseases such as juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS) and others.

Umbilical cord blood stem cells are often used as an alternative for bone marrow transplantation due to the scarcity in finding matching bone marrow donors. Furthermore, it has also been demonstrated by stem cell researchers that umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants may potentially pose less risk for the recipient than bone marrow transplants. It is due to the fact that the immune cells in cord blood are less likely to cause any harm to the unrelated donor’s system. This makes it easier for people who need transplants to receive medical treatment without the requirement for an exact tissue type matched donor. Stem cells have the potential to regenerate organs, blood and other tissue which is essential for the human body to survive. Because stem cells have the potential to become any cell type in the body, they have expansive potential to be used in treating a broad range of diseases for which there may currently be no cures available.

Cryo-Cell International, Inc. headquartered in Tampa Bay, Florida is a global leader in stem cell innovation and stem cell cryopreservation services. Cryo-Cell has over 200,000 clients worldwide, 21 global affiliates and is the industry’s quality leader. If you or someone you know is expecting a baby, you are a woman interested in cryopreserving your own menstrual stem cells for future potential therapies and want to learn more about stem cell cryopreservation services or to enroll online, please visit our websites at www.cryo-cell.com and www.celle.com.