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.