The way forward for cord
blood storage

What is stem cell research and how is it related to cord blood storage?

Most people have heard of the term stem cell but surprisingly few know of stem cell research, the benefits of it or even how cord blood storage can potentially save their children's lives. Cord blood storage enables parents to store the blood from their baby's umbilical cord. This blood is packed full of potent stem cells that have yet to begin the transformation into other cells, organs or tissue. Because they are still at their most juvenile stage they show an exceptionally high level of plasticity. This in turn means that the potential uses of cord blood are huge and we have only so far touched on the surface of the benefits that cord blood storage can truly offer.

Are there other sources of stem cells apart from cord blood?

There are other sources of stem cells, namely bone marrow, skin transfusions, embryos and even baby teeth have all been proven to contain stem cells. Bone marrow is used to cure diseases that affect the blood but they do not show the same levels of plasticity as juvenile cord blood. This is because the bone marrow is usually taken from fully-grown adults and the stem cells have already begun to form into blood cells. Embryonic stem cells are potentially very useful for stem cell transplants; however, the controversy that surrounds embryonic cell extraction means that it is unlikely to be a viable source for many years yet. Without going into too much of a discussion regarding what the pros and cons of stem embryonic stem cells are, it is always true that the extraction of the stem cell from an embryo kills the embryo completely. This is why therapeutic cloning is something that most people do not consider an ethical option.

How is cord blood removed? Is it safe?

Cord blood is removed from the umbilical cord and the placenta after the birth is complete. The normal clamping and cutting routine is completed and then the blood is either drained by elevating the umbilical cord or drawn using a syringe. This process means that mother and baby are completely unaffected, as the blood is removed at a stage when the cord would normally be disposed of.

The effectiveness of cord blood storage.

The blood is then taken to a public or private bank where it is cryogenically stored. At present, stored blood has been proven to maintain it's high level of potency for up to 15 years but as cryogenic storage improves this figure will undoubtedly increase to greater levels. There are several public banks situated around the country and a similar amount of private banks so whether you want to donate or bank your child's cord blood you should be able to find somewhere that can help. If you do live in an area that does not have access to one of these banks then you should consider consulting private hospitals and University hospitals. You will usually be able to find one that will gladly accept your donation.

Advances in cord blood storage.

Cord blood storage and stem cell research are constantly moving forward in technique and potential uses. Currently there are over 40 life threatening diseases that can be treated through the use of cord blood donation and tests that are continuously being carried out on animals show that the potential is far greater than we already know. There have been a number of successful cases of treating lymphoma in dogs with stem cells and positive results have also been shown in tests with stem cells & essential tremor as well as Congenital Heart Failure.

Uses and potential uses of cord blood and stem cells.

Presently, there is a one in 100 chance that a newborn baby will contract a disease by the age of 50 that could be treated using stem cell transplants. However, because cord blood can only be stored for approximately 15 years this means that many of these cases would be untreatable using the patient's own cord blood. The fact remains, however, that cord blood storage and stem cell transplants appear to hold the key to unlock the secrets of many incurable diseases.

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