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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Benefits of Donating Cord Blood & Tissue

Stem cells, also known as ‘master cells’ are not only used for research purposes but are also used for clinical practices. Some of the major physical conditions that can be treated with stem cell transplants include cancers, blood disorders, congenital metabolic disorders and immunodeficiency disorders. Benefits of stem cell research are many and that is why researchers have been encouraging the storage and preservation of cord blood cells and tissues.

You can either store your newborn’s cord blood in a reliable private bank offering family cord blood services or donate it to a public bank. CB given to a private bank is processed and frozen in cryogenic storage tanks for long-term preservation. Storing the umbilical cord blood tissue can cost you a pretty penny, whereas donating the CB to a public bank is free. If you can’t afford the expensive costs of private family cord blood banking services, then it is advised to donate it rather than throwing it away. Cancer patients who need stem cell transplants might be looking for a donor and they rely on the public bank donations. Your donation to the public cord blood bank can be a life-saving match for cancer patients and can give them a second chance at life.

If you have decided to donate your baby’s cord blood and cord blood tissue, then it is important for you to sign up for the process in between the 28^th and 34^th week of pregnancy. Speak with your doctor for availing more information and guidance. Public cord blood banks have several set of guidelines and eligibility criteria. Go through the details before signing up for the donation. Moreover, you need to submit a consent form and also complete a questionnaire about your maternal and family health. Last but not the least, your blood sample will be collected and screened for infectious diseases in order to ensure the safety of transplant patients.

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What is Stem Cell Research?

Stem cells, also known as master cells are a class of undifferentiated cells from which all other specialised cell types are developed. What is stem cell research? Doctors and researchers have been conducting several studies on the unique characteristics and properties of stem cells. Embryo and adult tissues are the major sources of stem cells. Adult stem cells are found in brain, bone marrow, blood vessels, skeletal muscles, skin and liver. Recent discovery of stem cell presence in umbilical cord blood was a new milestone in stem cell research.

Why expectant parents should think about banking or donating the cord blood? Blood found in the new-born’s umbilical cord is a rich source of stem cells. Adult stem cells found in the umbilical cord blood has the remarkable potential to divide or self-renew indefinitely. Immunologically naive hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) present in the cord blood can develop into multitude of blood cells and that is what makes it ideal for the treatment of a wide variety of disorders. Acute leukemia, aplastic anemia, hodgkin’s disease, myelodysplastic syndromes, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and sickle cell disease are some of the many diseases that can be treated with the cord blood stem cell therapies. Not just the cord blood, but cord tissue cells also offer several benefits. Treatment of spinal cord injuries, heart diseases, Parkinson’s disease, cartilage disorders and cardiovascular diseases are some of the prospective cord tissue banking benefits.

Collecting the cord blood is a quick, safe and painless procedure that poses no harm to the mother or the baby. Umbilical cord is clamped and cut right after the child birth, followed by extracting the blood to a sterile collection bag. Soon after the extraction, it is send to the cord blood bank for testing, processing and storage. Having a good knowledge about the cord blood and cord tissue banking benefits can help the expectant parents to take an informed decision.

Is Cord Blood Banking Worth the Price?

Remarkable benefits of stem cell research are many and one of the major breakthroughs in the field of stem cell research and development was the discovery of stem cell presence in umbilical cord blood. This discovery led to a new practise in the medical field – cord blood banking.  If you are an expectant parent, then it is one of the most important decisions that you need to make before the birth of the baby.

Blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord is termed as cord blood (CB). Researchers have found out that the cord blood is rich in stem cells. Harvesting the cord blood right after the child birth and preserving it for long term storage is termed as umbilical cord blood banking. Valuable stem cells present in the CB has the potential to treat ischemic vascular disease, metabolic storage disease, hemoglobinopathies, neurological disorders, malignant and non-malignant diseases. Moreover, the umbilical cord blood stem cells are also used for regenerative medicine therapy.  Preserving the cord blood cells and cord tissues proves beneficial not only for the baby, but also for other members of the family. Expectant parents need to realise the remarkable benefits of stem cell research and think about banking the newborn’s umbilical cord blood, especially if your family has a medical history of genetically inherited diseases or disorders.

Private and public umbilical cord blood banking services are available. A whopping amount of money is charged by the private cord blood banks for the collection, processing and storage of CB, whereas donation of CB to a public bank is free of cost. If you have decided to bank your newborn’s cord blood in private facility, then it is strongly recommended to start the planning in advance. Do spend some extra time in research and planning, which will help you in finding the best family cord blood banking services. Expectant parents who can’t afford the higher private cord blood banking prices can donate the baby’s cord blood to public banks so that it will be available for free to anyone who needs it.

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Cord Tissue Benefits You Need to Know

Umbilical cord and placenta, which was once discarded as  a medical waste, has currently turned out to be the life-saving material. Stem cell banking using the cord blood cells has gained immense popularity across the globe. Unlike the embryonic stem cell research, cord blood stem cell banking doesn’t have any ethical controversies or complexities surrounding them.

Cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells, which has the remarkable potential to treat more than 80 diseases including but not limited to cancers, blood disorders, immune disorders, metabolic disorders and inherited diseases. Moreover, it is also considered as a safe and effective alternative to bone  marrow during the stem cell transplants. That is why majority of the doctors and researchers have been encouraging the expectant parents to bank their newborn baby’s cord blood. Public and private cord blood banking facilities are available from which the expectant parents can make their pick. If you are planning to bank your newborn baby’s cord blood for personal use by the family, then private cord blood bank facilities can help you out. However, you have to pay the initial processing and long term storage fees. On the other hand, you can also decide to donate the cord blood for regenerative medicine research or stem cell transplant purpose, at free of cost. If you choose the later, then you need to get in touch with a public cord blood bank.

Not just the cord blood, but the cord tissue also contains stem cells which has the power to treat debilitating conditions. Several clinical trials are underway exploring the umbilical cord tissue benefits. According to the researchers, hematopoietic stem cells present in the cord tissue has the potential to treat the medical conditions affecting cartilage, muscle and nerve cells. Expectant parents having a clear understanding about the cord blood and umbilical cord tissue benefits need to think through decisions.

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3 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Family Cord Blood Bank

Cord blood banking has been gaining immense popularity these days. If you are an expecting mom, then you would have heard a lot about the cord blood and the advanced stem cell banking facilities. What exactly is cord blood (CB)? Why you should even think about saving it? There might be a several set of questions running through your mind. So you and your partner need to discuss about the importance of cord blood banking and decide whether or not to bank it.  You can also seek advice and suggestions from your physician. Here are a few steps that you can follow to come up with a good decision.

1. Get the facts straight: Make it a point to get the accurate information about the umbilical cord tissue and blood banking services. Discuss the details with your partner and make sure he gets a clear understanding of what it is all about. Explain how the cord blood is collected and why it is a harmless procedure. Moreover, make him aware about the remarkable advantages of donating or banking the CB.
2. Weigh the pros and cons: Once your partner is clear about the importance and advancements of the adult stem cell banking, it is time to decide whether you should think about banking your newborn’s cord blood or not. Analyse the medical history  of both yours and your partners. Keep in mind that cord blood stem cells have the potential to treat more than 80 diseases and it also includes genetically inherited disorders.
3. Review the costs: Assuming that you are interested to save the umbilical cord tissue and blood, the next step is to discuss about the costs required for banking the CB.  If you are planning to rely on the services of  private family cord blood banking, then you should briefly study about  their initial collection, processing and storage fees. On the contrary, you can also think about donating the CB to a public bank, which is free of cost.

These are some of the important factors you need to discuss with your partner for taking an informed decision regarding the family cord blood banking services.

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Value of Umbilical Cord Blood

If you are an expecting parent, then you should be aware about the benefits of newborn baby blood cord banking services. In most cases, the umbilical cord is  clamped, cut and discarded as a medical waste. However, the blood present in the umbilical cords and the placentas are rich in stem cells, similar to those found in bone marrow. Used for treating a range of conditions including blood cancers and other genetically inherited disorders, cord blood (CB) possesses an incredible potential to save lives.

Harvesting the newborn umbilical cord blood is as simple as donating blood, which harms neither the mother nor the baby. Soon after the child  birth, the cord will be cut and the clinician will pierce the cord with a needle to draw out the blood into a sterile collection bag.  The sample is then transferred to the bank, where it is processed and frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage.

Expectant parents who are interested in saving the umbilical cord tissue and cord blood should do a detailed research to find the best family cord blood banking facility. Browse the web pages to collect details about the private cord blood banks in and around your vicinity. Or else, seek the recommendations and guidance of your doctor.

Choosing a private baby blood cord banking facility is not an easy task, especially if you have no idea about the factors to look for. Start with the background check. Enquire about their accreditation and reputation in the medical community.  Find out whether they are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for processing and storing the umbilical cord tissue and blood. Make it a point to go through the testimonials and references. Last but not the least, ask about their pricing structure.

If you are not planning to save the newborn’s umbilical cord blood because of the higher banking costs, then consider donating it to the public cord blood banks. Cord blood donated to the public banks will be used for life saving stem cell transplants and research purposes. Since now you are aware of the benefits and options available for using the child’s cord blood, it is up to you to decide whether to discard it or save it.

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Baby Blood Cord Banking – What You Need To Know

FAQs on Saving Baby’s Cord Blood

If you are contemplating with the idea of saving your newborn baby’s cord blood, you may find yourself confused with a lot of questions. So here are some top questions answered to clear out your concerns.

1. What is cord blood?
   The blood left in the newborn’s umbilical cord and blood vessels of placenta right after the child birth is known as cord blood (CB). This blood is rich in hematopoietic stem cells and the cord tissue consists of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
2. What is stem cell research and how it is related to cord blood banking?
   Stem cells have the remarkable potential to become any type of specialized cell. Another significant characteristic is its self-renewing capacity, which makes it an ideal choice for degenerative medicine therapy. Stem cells are classified into embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. While embryonic stem cell research has been facing a lot of ethical controversies, researchers and scientists have been working on the adult stem cell transplants and therapies. That is when the presence of adult stem cells was discovered in umbilical cord blood, which further led to its banking.
3. How is cord blood collected?
   Unlike the bone marrow harvest, cord blood collection is a quick and painless procedure that poses no harm to the baby or mother. Umbilical cord is clamped and cut immediately after the child birth. The blood present in the umbilical cord is drained to a gravity bag.
4. What diseases does cord blood cure?
   Currently, CB is used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases and disorders. Cancer, blood disorders, immune disorders and metabolic disorders are some of them. It can also be used to treat certain set of inherited genetic conditions. Several clinical trials and research is currently  investigating the potential of CB stem cells to treat many other debilitating conditions. And that is the exact reason why physicians and scientists encourage saving newborn baby’s cord blood and also consider it as a wise investment to secure the future health of your child and  family.

You can also have a brief discussion with your doctor to find more information regarding the cord blood banking services.

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What Is Cord Blood?