Cord Blood Banking: Advantages and Disadvantages

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



According to studies, cord blood contains a lot of stem cells that can help children and adults with a lot of types of disorders through a simple transplant. Cord blood also contains stem cells that can help a lot of people in need of organ or tissue replacement.

Cord blood banking is slowly being considered by a lot of people because of its potential to help other patients, even the ones within the same family. Extraction of cord blood is relatively easy and painless for both the baby and the mother. And there are also major organizations that accept public and private cord blood banking making storage of the cord blood accessible and secure.

Cord blood is used in two ways. The first way is via transplant after any type of radiology treatment like chemotherapy. The patient’s own stem cells are transplanted. This type of method can help in both malignant hereditary and non-hereditary diseases. Cord blood banking is popular because of the second way cord blood is used. Cord blood is transplanted into the patient from a donor. It can be from a family member or from an anonymous donor in a public cord blood bank. Transplant from a donor can cure both malignant and non-malignant illnesses.

Cord blood banking does have its advantages. From the recipient’s point of view, waiting time for a donor is significantly reduced and there are a lot of possible donors compared to waiting for an organ donor. There is also lesser risk of getting transmitted diseases. From the donor’s point of view, extraction of the cord blood is both fast and painless. And the extraction process will not harm either mother or child.

One disadvantage of cord blood banking from the recipient’s point of view is the quality of the cord blood. Since the collected cord blood comes only in small amounts, there may not be enough stem cells or platelets to regenerate the organs or tissue.


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