Umbilical Cord Blood Banking – An Overview

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



A few decades ago, certain immune and blood diseases were impossible to treat. In recent years, however, successful transplants of stem cells from umbilical cords have helped treat some debilitating diseases. Inside the mother’s womb, the umbilical cord serves as the conduit of nutrients and blood that the baby needs to grow and develop. Recent studies have shown that an umbilical cord is a great source of cord stem cells. These cells are crucial in helping treat many immune and blood illnesses. The need to store the umbilical cord immediately after the baby is born gave rise to umbilical cord blood banking.

Keeping the umbilical cord of your baby in an cord blood bank is a sure way of preserving a good source of matched cells that may be crucial in saving the life of your child in the future. The blood and immune diseases that can be cured by stem cell transplant is usually life threatening.

There are already many private and public cord blood banks in key cities around the world. New England Cord Blood Bank is one of the leaders in this type of blood banking technology.

Issues and concerns about cord blood banks

Since such blood banking technology is still in its early stages of development, many have expressed concern over the long-term viability of cord blood frozen through cryogenics technology. Many also criticize the exorbitant fees that some private cord blood banks charge in having your baby’s cord cells stored in their blood banking facilities.

Diseases that can be cured by cord stem cells

Most of the diseases that need stem cells from umbilical cords are life threatening and are difficult to cure by other means. Breast cancer and leukemia are just some of the types of cancers that can be cured using stem cells stored in umbilical cord blood banks. People suffering from blood diseases, such as aplastic anemia, certain types of immune illnesses and genetic conditions will also benefit from stem cell transplants. Studies using stem cells in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, lupus and AIDS are also underway.


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