Should Parents Opt for Private Cord Blood Banking?

Expecting a baby is one of the beautiful yet important phases of life. Several decisions are to be made and what to do with your newborns cord blood is just one of them. Cord blood is a precious commodity that is collected from a newborn right after birth. Being a rich source of stem cells, cord blood is currently used to treat more than 80 diseases including several forms of cancers, immune disorders, blood disorders and genetically inherited diseases to mention a few. Parents may discard it, donate it to public banks or store it in a private cord blood banking facility. Storing cord blood and tissue at private banks may cost you whereas donations are free of cost. Cord blood donated to the public bank is used either for medical research or stem cell transplants.

Private cord blood banking have been gaining immense popularity in the recent times, as you can find its marketing pitches everywhere – at doctor’s waiting rooms, pregnancy related mobile apps, parenting magazines and more. The month of July is even considered as National Cord Blood Awareness Month. But according to the doctors, parents need to be very cautious when signing up for the private cord blood storage. Expectant parents need to think long and hard before taking an informed decision. Banking your newborns cord blood at a private bank is an expensive affair, as the processing fees can run from roughly $500 to $2,500 with the annual storage fees of $100 to $300 each year thereafter.

Most of the parents who opt for private cord blood banking consider it as a precious resource and biological life insurance for their kid. Even though, the chances of your child benefiting from his or her own cord blood are less than 0.04 percent. This is because the cord blood contains the same cells and genetic defects that are responsible for the diseases in the first place. So, the best case is to choose private banking only if your family has a medical history of diseases currently treatable with cord blood. Talk with your doctor in order to discuss all the possibilities and take a wise decision.

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What is Cord Blood Banking?

Promising results from cord blood research have been prompting more and more parents to bank their newborn’s umbilical cord blood and tissue. As a rich source of stem cells, cord blood is currently used in several lifesaving transplants and is expected to cure more debilitating conditions in the future. Patients with leukemia, lymphoma, immune deficiencies and other inherited metabolic disorders can benefit from cord blood stem cell transplants.

What makes cord blood so unique and valuable? Until recently, the blood present in the placenta and umbilical cord was disposed as medical waste right after the child birth. But with the discovery of the abundance of stem cell in the cord blood, things have changed. Stem cells present in the cord blood are capable of dividing and renewing themselves. Since they are unspecialized templates, these cells can be developed into specialized cells and tissues. It is their renewal property that proves beneficial in treating several life threatening conditions. During stem cell transplants, the damaged cells are destroyed and replaced with cord blood stem cells, which then replicates and produce new blood cells.

What is cord blood banking? Collecting and storing the newborn’s cord blood for long term is known as cord blood banking. Private and public cord blood banking options are available for the expectant parents. According to researchers and scientists, cord blood holds an immense potential as a treatment for a diverse range of health conditions, such as cerebral palsy (CP), stroke, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Several clinical trials and research sessions are underway exploring the therapeutic value and applications of cord blood and cord tissue stem cells.

If you are an expectant parent, then you may either decide to store your baby’s cord blood at a private bank or donate it to a public bank. A number of patients suffering from conditions like those listed above may benefit from the public stem cell donations. So, rather than waste this valuable resource, make a point to store or donate your infant’s cord blood and cord tissue.

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Importance of Umbilical Cord Tissue

Why save baby cord blood? What are its benefits? Is it worth the money? Blood present in the baby’s umbilical cord contains stem cells. Multipotent adult stem cells present in the umbilical cord blood make it a precious resource in the medical and research field. And that is why baby’s cord blood, which was once discarded as medical waste, is now collected and saved for long term storage. The first human transplant using cord stem cells was performed in 1988. It was for treating Fanconi anemia – an inherited disease that mainly affects the bone marrow. Cord blood that was used to treat only one disease at that time can now treat nearly 80 diseases.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) present in the baby cord blood can be used to restore the damaged blood cells in our body. Developed from mesodermal hemangioblast cells, HSCs are self-renewing progenitor cells that has the potential to generate multitude of cell types found in the blood stream including red blood cells, white blood cells and megakaryocytes. Hematologic and nonhematologic cancers, autoimmune disorders, various forms of anemia and immunodeficiency disorders can be treated with the cord blood Hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs). Why cord blood stem cell transplants are gaining wide acceptance in the medical community? Cord blood stem cell transplants require a less-stringent HLA match and carry a lower risk of graft-vs-host disease. Moreover, the transplant outcomes are more effective and better with cord blood applications when compared to other transplant methods.

Stem cells are not only present in the cord blood, but also in the surrounding tissue.  Umbilical cord tissue is a rich source of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This type of multipotent connective tissue cells can develop into a variety of cell types such as bone cells, cartilage cells, muscle cells and fat cells. Many scientists are striving harder to discover the cord tissue benefits and applications. Currently research and clinical trials are going on to better understand the potential of cord tissue. According to the scientists, cord tissue MSCs can be used to treat Liver fibrosis, Parkinson’s disease, Rheumatoid arthritis and lung cancer to name a few.

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Banking Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord Blood

Placenta and umbilical cord are the two crucial support systems of a healthy pregnancy. Placenta not only provides nourishment to the growing fetus but also takes away the waste from the fetus to mother’s system for excretion.  The cord structure that connects placenta to the fetus is called umbilical cord. Known as the lifeline between mother and baby, umbilical cord carries oxygenated blood from placenta to baby through its vein and takes away deoxygenated blood from baby to placenta through its arteries.

Blood present in the umbilical cord, which was once considered as a medical waste, is now known to be a valuable resource. Abundant presence of stem cells in the newborn’s umbilical cord blood (CB) makes it a lifesaving resource and that is why the medical community is encouraging the storage of cord blood stem cells. Used to treat more than 70 types of diseases including leukemia, lymphoma, sickle-cell disease, metabolic disorders and some inherited disorders, newborn’s umbilical cord blood holds a promising future in regenerative medicine therapies.

Several clinical trials are still underway, where scientists and researchers are striving harder to unlock and tap into the potential of cord blood and cord tissue stem cells. Unlike the bone marrow stem cell harvesting, cord blood collection and stem cell banking is a painless procedure that doesn’t require any invasive methods. Easy and quick CB collection carried out immediately after the delivery neither hurts the mother nor the baby. Expectant parents may check out informative cord blood banking videos and webinar sessions to explore the benefits and downsides of CB.

The first successful cord blood stem cell transplant took place in 1988 at Hospital Saint-Louis in Paris. Performed for treating Fanconi’s anemia, this transplantation was a new milestone in the history of stem cell research. The patient was a five year old boy named Matthew Farrow and he received the donor stem cells from his newborn baby sister. Since then, cord blood stem cell banking and donations have reported a surging growth and popularity.

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Cord Blood Banking As an Insurance Plan

Cord blood, once discarded as medical waste has gained life-saving status these days. Blood present in the umbilical cord and placenta is a rich source of stem cells. No need to repeat the spiel about the benefits of stem cells. Also known as master cells, these units are considered as the building blocks of human body.  They are capable of dividing and renewing themselves. Though they are unspecialised, these cells can give rise to specialised tissues and cell types. These are some of the significant properties that make stem cells unique. When scientists discovered the abundant presence of stem cells in the umbilical cord tissue and cord blood, it was a milestone in the field of regenerative medicine research. Currently, cord blood stem cells are used to treat more than 80 life threatening conditions whereas the clinical application of umbilical cord tissue is yet under the experimental stage.

Cord blood or CB contains blood-forming haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells. Blood-forming stem cells of CB are used for transplant procedure of leukaemia patients. Some of the major diseases that can be treated with cord blood include leukaemia, blood and bone marrow disorders, cancer and immune deficiencies. Cord blood stem cell transplants are a great alternative to the bone marrow transplants. Ongoing research and advancements have made the cord blood banking and treatments more popular and affordable.

Number of expectant parents opting for the private cord blood banking is rising. Majority of them bank their newborn’s CB as a type of health insurance for the child and family.  On the other hand, parents who can’t afford to bank their baby’s CB may think about donating it to a public cord bank. Stem cells donated to the public bank are not only used for life-saving transplants, but also for research and clinical trials.

Originally Published:Cord Blood Banking to Insure Your Child’s Health

Why You Should Consider Cord Blood Banking?

If you are an expectant parent, then you may have heard about the baby blood cord banking. Like most people, you may be wondering about the special features of the so-called cord blood. What is cord blood and what makes it so special? Blood present in the placenta and umbilical cord is termed as cord blood (CB). In addition to the normal elements of blood such as red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma, CB is rich in stem cells (Hematopoietic Stem Cells). Powerful stem cells can give rise to any tissue or organ cells of the body. Moreover, these master cells are unspecialised and can be used to replace or repair the tissues that have been damaged by diseases. Not only the cord blood, but the cord tissue also contains Mesenchymal Stem cells (MSCs) that have afforded promise in the treatment of medical conditions affecting cartilage, muscle and nerve cells. According to the scientists, cord tissue benefits and applications have a great role to play in the future of regenerative medicine research.

So now you are clear about what cord blood is. But have you ever thought how stem cells can treat the cancer conditions? Let us consider lymphoma as an example. It is a form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system (Immune system of our body). During the first stage, cancerous cells in the bone marrow are destroyed through chemotherapy and radiation procedures. The next step is to transplant the stem cells in bone marrow so that it can restore the function by producing blood forming cells and tissues of the body. As we mentioned earlier, cord blood stem cells have self-renewal properties which makes it a perfect alternative for bone marrow transplant. Moreover, umbilical cord blood possesses little risk of graft-versus-host disease which helps it to integrate with the body better. Currently, umbilical cord blood is used to treat more than 80 diseases including cancers, blood disorders, immune deficiency conditions and more. So to cut short, baby cord blood banking and cord blood donation is a life-saving medical service that you can opt for.

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Why Banking Your Baby’s Cord Blood is a Wise Decision?

The field of stem cell biology has advanced the most over the last decade and the advancing technologies offer unique promise of regenerative medicine applications. Even though the embryonic stem cell harvesting and research has been surrounded by the social controversies, cord blood banking has managed to gain acceptance worldwide. Umbilical cord blood (CB), as the name indicates, is the blood present in the umbilical cord and placenta of the new born. According to the scientific findings, this blood is a rich source of stem cells. If you have been thinking about the significance of stem cell banking, then let us explain. Stem cells, also known as master cells possess self-renewal capability, which means it can act as an internal repair system. Differentiation and unspecialized nature are some of the unique properties that make stem cells highly valuable. Until recently, these master cells were harvested from blood and bone marrow. But with the discovery of stem cell presence in umbilical cord blood tissue, researchers have been encouraging the banking of new-born’s CB.

Newborn baby’s cord blood can be either stored at a private bank or donated through a public bank. If you are an expectant parent, then it is essential to think through decisions. You may spend some time in research in order to check out the benefits of private cord blood banking and public cord blood donation. Once you are clear about the advantages of umbilical cord blood tissue storage and banking, you may have a detailed discussion with your doctor and family members. Have a look at your family health history to check whether there are any inherited diseases or conditions. If you are contemplating with the idea of banking your newborn baby’s cord blood,then make it a point to explore more about the private facilities. Keep in mind that CB cells have a remarkable potential to save lives and it would be a big mistake to discard it.

Originally Published:Why You Should Give a Thought to Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking?

Cord Blood Banking – Why Opt for Public Donation?

Stem cell-rich blood present in the umbilical cord of a new born is termed as cord blood (CB). Until recently, this blood was discarded along with the placenta right after the child birth. But with the recent advancements and remarkable benefits of stem cell research, scientists have discovered its life saving potential. Cord blood stem cells can be used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases. It is also considered as a better alternative to bone marrow transplants. Moreover, the future perspectives of CB and umbilical cord tissue look bright and promising. And that is why new-born baby’s cord blood banking has been gaining wide acceptance over the past decade. If you are an expectant parent, then you might be faced with a challenging question – whether or not to bank your baby’s cord blood and tissue? For many, the answer depends on their family medical history, financial structure and personal preference.

Most of the parents-to-be who can’t afford the higher costs of private cord blood banking may decide to discard the CB after the child birth. On the other hand, if you decide to donate the cord blood and umbilical cord tissue, then it can be a life-saving option for someone. Patients with leukemia, lymphoma or other debilitating conditions can be treated with the cord blood stem cell transplant. Donation of cord blood to a public bank is free. When you donate your newborn’s cord blood, it will be listed on the registry and provided to a patient who needs transplant quickly.

If you have decided to donate your baby’s cord blood, then you need to discuss the same with your doctor. Go through the eligibility criteria for public cord blood donation and check whether you meet them. Find more information about the list of hospitals that are tied up with the public cord blood banks so that you can work through the enrolment process.

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Difference between Cord Blood & Cord Tissue Stem Cells

If you are an expectant parent, then you might be probably busy with a lot of planning such as meeting the doctor, discussing different health issues, setting up the nursery, planning the baby shower and more. But have you ever thought about banking your new-born’s cord blood? Most of us will agree that it is one of the rarely discussed topics. But having a detailed understanding about the medical benefits of cord blood (CB) can help you in taking informed decisions regarding its banking. First of all, let’s find out what cord blood is. As we all know umbilical cord connects a baby in the womb to its mother and provides him with oxygen and nutrients. And that is why umbilical cord is considered as the lifeline of developing embryo or foetus. Soon after the child birth, this cord is cut and discarded away. But now research has shown that the blood present in the baby’s cord contains adult stem cells. Umbilical cord blood tissue, being a rich source of stem cells can be collected and stored for several therapeutical applications and research purposes.

Not just the blood present in the cord, but even the tissue of the umbilical cord is used in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine therapy. Collection ofcord blood and tissue is a quick and pain-less procedure carried out right after the child birth. But what exactly is the difference between cord blood and cord tissue? CB is a rich source of blood-forming cells or Haematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), whereas umbilical cord tissue contains Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that can differentiate into a variety of cell types. Another notable difference is that while cord blood has been used for treating more than 80 diseases, cord tissue is only available in clinical trials at this point of time. But according to the researchers, the future of cord tissue stem cell based therapy looks bright and promising. Expectant parents who wish to reap the therapeutical benefits of CB may consider banking it. Those who can’t afford the higher cord blood banking prices can also donate their new-born’s cord blood.

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Uses of Cord Blood & Tissue

The field of stem cell research have made significant stride in the recent years and the discovery of stem cell presence in umbilical cord blood was one of the remarkable achievements. Have you been thinking what exactly cord blood is? Blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta is termed as the cord blood (CB). Until recently, both the umbilical cord and placenta were discarded as medical waste right after the child birth. But during the 1970s, researchers discovered that the umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells. Also known as the master cells, adult stem cells possess remarkable potential to develop into a complete array of tissue and organ cells of the body. Cord blood contains haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that are responsible for maintaining blood production in our body. On the other hand, cord tissue contains Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) that have the potential to differentiate into cartilage cells, bone cells and fat cells. Several clinical trials are underway exploring the therapeutical cord tissue benefits and applications.

Currently, umbilical cord blood is used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases. Some of the major conditions include cancers, blood diseases and immune deficiency disorders. HSCs present in the umbilical cord blood develop into red cells, white cells and platelets further restoring the body’s ability to produce blood. Patients with cancerous blood disorders are treated with chemotherapy or radiation, which reduces the stem cells in the bone marrow. Cord blood stem cell transplant helps to replace the damaged blood forming cells with healthy HSCs. Since the collection of cord blood is easier and probability of complications is slighter, CB transplants have become a safe and effective alternative to bone marrow stem cell transplants. On the other hand, researchers continue to investigate the therapeutical cord tissue benefits thereby offering promising hope for the treatment of several debilitating conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, spinal cord injury, diabetes and more.

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