donating umbilical cord blood

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking

2009-09-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION-

In mammalian species, the umbilical cord carries nutrient rich blood and gases to the fetus through the arteries and veins it encloses. After delivery, a major portion of the umbilical cord is discarded, and the smaller portion left attached to the infant is allowed to dry off. Research in recent times indicates that the blood contained in the umbilical cord or Umbilical Cord Blood is rich in “Stem Cells”.

Stem cells are a part of the “haematopoietic system”; or the system that is responsible for the production of various mature blood cells present in the body. The production of the blood cells from immature to mature stages takes place in the red bone marrow.
The different mature blood cells need constant replacement that is provided by the stem cell.
Some stem cells are differentiated; that is, they are slated to produce a specific type of blood cell. Still another stem cell type is the pluripotent stem cell. Researchers have only recently found sources of it in the bone marrow, placenta and umbilical cord. These pluripotent cells acquire, through a process of differentiation under specific conditions, let us say, an identity; be it a white blood cell, red blood cell, platelet etc.

There are few active sites of blood cell production in the adult body. These are responsible for producing the blood cells through out an individual’s life span. Blood diseases can either incapacitate these centers or create imbalances in the blood cell count. Traditionally, blood diseases have been treated with chemotherapy, marrow transplants or transfusions.

Scientists are now able to manipulate the haematopoietic stem cells found in Umbilical Cord Blood externally to form a specific type of cell. Once transplanted, the stem cells have helped to treat diseases like leukemia, lymphoma and inherited diseases like sickle cell anemia.

Pluripotent cells have been manipulated externally to grow into organs and even nerve cells, where they can be used to treat conditions like Parkinsons. Although these cells are found in the placenta and Cord Blood, the richest source of these stem cells is from discarded embryos themselves. This has resulted in much controversy.

UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD BANKS-

Researchers now urge parents to store or donate the Umbilical Cord Blood to specialized “Cord Blood Banks”. These can be either public or private institutions.

Private Cord Blood Banks

This system is run by individuals or private organizations. The organization will store the Cord Blood irrespective of medical reasons. There are charges for collection and storage. The arguments against private cord blood banking are –

If the child has inherited blood disease, the Cord Blood would be affected too. It would be useless to have it stored in that case.
Doctors also prefer, in cases of children with leukemia, to have the Cord Blood of a healthy donor.
Private banking does not allow for choosing from an array of donors. It can only hold an individual’s Cord Blood for their personal or immediate family’s needs.

The advantage of this system is that blood from a healthy child with no inherited diseases can be maintained as insurance, in case a family member or the child itself should need it in the future.

Public Cord Blood Banks

This system is usually government run. There are generally no charges for collection and storage. Parents are encouraged to donate Cord Blood to Public Banks.

The reasons are -

The chances of needing the Cord Blood are rare for a child in a family without history of disease.
By donating the Cord Blood, parents contribute to an already growing reserve. This way, another person from anywhere in the world may find a match in the donated blood.
Often, a person may not find a match among relatives for a marrow transplant. With a stem cell transplant being a viable option, a Public Cord Blood Bank would ensure a chance for the most appropriate cord blood unit even from several unrelated donors.

The disadvantage of this system is that it is not always guaranteed that the donor will receive Cord Blood should he or she need it. It may have been donated. However, matches may be found from among many other donated samples.

The match referred to is required between the donor’s and recipient’s HLA antigens. The closer the match is, the better is the body’s chance of accepting the new stem cell.

The first ever Cord Blood Bank in the world was started in New York’s Milstein National Cord Blood Center. It is a Public Cord Blood Bank.

Today, there are over 40 Cord Blood Banks worldwide, both public and private.

CORD BLOOD COLLECTION AND STORAGE-

The Cord Blood Bank that the parents have chosen is generally responsible for collection of the blood.

There are usually lists of participating hospitals in every country. However, the related authorities (delivery doctors, nurses) must be aware of the mothers’ wish to donate or store Cord Blood after the birth.

Normal procedure includes

Asking the mother and father for their health related history
Blood tests to rule out HIV infections, other blood diseases
Signing of a consent form.

The blood is collected either in-utero or immediately after the birth. The Cord Blood is taken to the Cord Blood Bank. Some tests are performed; this ensures the blood is suitable for storage. The results from the donor’s doctor regarding physical findings and blood tests are all considered.

The blood is then ready for storage at around minus 180 degrees centigrade.

It is not certain for how long Cord Blood can be stored. Current literature states that it can be safely stored for at least 10 years.

Umbilical cord offers valuable stem cells

2009-09-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

SACRAMENTO -- The umbilical cord is birth's afterthought -- clamped, cut and discarded. But its blood is a treasure trove of stem cells that can help cure diseases, including leukemia, sickle- cell anemia and other blood-related cancers.

Why then, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino asks, are so few people aware that they can donate a newborn's umbilical cord blood to help others? And why is it so labor-intensive to make public cord-blood donations?

That quandary has become something of a crusade for Portantino, D- Pasadena, who is carrying legislation, AB 34, that would create a California public cord blood collection program by July 2009.

Generally cast off after birth, cord blood is harvested painlessly after the umbilical cord is cut. It is less invasive to collect, easier to match and carries less risk of rejection than bone marrow.

Portantino's neighbor had a son whose leukemia was cured about a decade ago by a cord blood transplant. So when Portantino and his wife, Ellen, had daughter Bella five years ago, they were keen to donate. But doing so required ordering a kit to collect the blood, getting approval from the doctor and hospital to harvest it, putting it on ice and getting it to a bank.

"I thought to myself: This is really stupid," said the freshman lawmaker. "We have this wonderful, healing blood, and we discard it after birth and lose the ability to cure 70 diseases." His legislation dovetails with efforts by the federal government and at least 10 states to develop an inventory of genetically diverse cord blood.

Exactly how the registry would function and be funded would be up to an advisory committee. But this much is settled: Donation would be free and voluntary. And special attention would be devoted to collecting from ethnic minorities, who have more trouble finding matches.

So far, the idea appears to have widespread appeal. Stem cells from cord blood may have more limited curative potential than embryonic stem cells, but they are free from the ethical concerns involved in destroying an embryo.

Portantino's bill received unanimous, bipartisan support in its first outing in the Assembly Health Committee; no interest groups have registered opposition to it.

Mountain View mother Neha Choksi understands the appeal. She has lost three young friends whose cancer could have been cured by a transplant. And she knows how hard it can be for Indo-Americans like herself to find transplant matches.

So she banked cord blood after the births of her sons Chetan and Devan. When Chetan was born five years ago, Choksi paid a company about $1,000 to store his cord blood -- just in case -- for her family's personal use.

"If for some reason we could have used it," Choksi said, "I didn't want to live with that regret."

Before Devan's birth 16 months ago, Choksi was delighted to learn she could publicly bank cord blood so it's available to anyone who needs a transplant. Fortunately, her physician was willing to collect the blood for free and they sent it to a public registry, CryobanksInternational, in Florida.

"For me, it would be so exciting" if an easier-to-use, free public registry were created here, Choksi said. "Right now, it's just going into the incinerator."

Private vs. public banking is the biggest debate in cord blood harvesting.

Some families opt to privately bank cord blood, paying a company around $2,000 plus an annual storage fee, to preserve the cells.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, discourages private banking as a form of "biological insurance," except for families with a history of medical conditions that could be treated by cord blood transplantation.

Instead, the academy encourages public banking. It's free, and the stem cells are available to anyone in need of a transplant. In California, only two hospitals -- St. Joseph's Hospital of Orange and Citrus Valley Medical Center in West Covina -- regularly collect cord blood for the National Marrow Donor Program, which is the nation's public cord-blood clearinghouse.

"In California, the northern part of the state is not represented by a cord blood bank," said Mary Halet, who manages cord blood operations for the National Marrow Donor Program.

"It is possible for women throughout the state to donate," either through the Southern California facilities or Florida's Cryobanks International, Halet said. "But it requires effort on their part."

The National Marrow Donor Program's member banks store 50,000 units of cord blood, and it has partnerships with international banks and registries that list 190,000 units in all. South San Jose mother Jennifer Mavros said she and her husband debated the costs, utility and merits of private banking, public banking or no banking before daughter Annabella's birth nearly 11 months ago.

Mavros said she did the "inordinate amount of reading that any pregnant mom in Silicon Valley does," and finally decided not to bank the cord blood. She likes the idea of creating a public registry in California in theory, but, "I'd be very interested in how this would be funded."

Umbilical Cord Blood Storage

2009-09-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Umbilical cord blood storage is seen as the most comprehensive technology to prevent and even cure a wide range of life threatening diseases.

The umbilical cord is a tube that connects a growing fetus to the placenta. Its major function during pregnancy is to exchange nutrients and blood between the embryo and placenta. This makes it abundant in hematopoietic stem cells that are essential in the cure of many genetic diseases. Cord blood stem cell banking ensures that the stem cells can be used as a primary source for transplantation in the future. These cells are also genetically unique the baby and its family.

Umbilical cord blood storage transplants the stem cells to treat pediatric disorders, like leukemia, sickle cell disease, and metabolic disorders. The cord blood stem cells are used as match to the person it belongs to, or it can be matched with a sibling, relative or even an unrelated person. Increasingly parents in the United States are turning to cord blood stem cell banking for their newborn baby.

Stem cells are the building blocks of every organ, tissue and cell in the human body; these can restore or replace tissue that has been severely damaged. It has the capacity to reverse the ravaging effects of many diseases. The umbilical cord is an easy source for these vital cells. It is usually thrown away, but if it is collected and reused it is one of best options.

The decision to collect the umbilical cord cells has to be taken well before birth. Everyone right from the obstetrician, to the parents and the cord blood stem cell bank has to be prepared.

The blood is collected after the cord has been cut from the mother, before the placenta is delivered or after. In both cases, the cord blood units have to be sent immediately to a cord blood bank. If it is collected before the placenta is delivered then the umbilical cord is clamped and cut as usual. The blood is preserved in a bag and sent with a sample of the mother’s blood. It is protected from coagulating, and the possibility of bacterial contamination. The procedure for collecting the umbilical cord blood is painless.

In the cord blood stem cell bank, it is checked for its tissue type and infectious diseases like AIDS, hepatitis and malaria. It is processed to remove the red blood, to be Cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen for later use.

If it is to be used later, the cryopreserved cord blood is defrosted, cleaned of the chemicals, and injected through a vein of the patient. This is termed as allogeneic treatment.

There are many benefits in umbilical blood storage. Cord blood is now used as an alternative to bone marrow transplant. Blood and immune-system related genetic diseases like cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease, or even thalassemia, are treatable with cord blood transplants. If the patient can use his or her own cord blood, or if it is matched perfectly with a sibling the chances of cure are far higher. This one single reason prompts parents to turn to umbilical cord blood storage.

Also most people are able to accept umbilical cord blood because they are immunologically immature and undeveloped as compared to adult stem cells in bone marrow or peripheral blood. Besides, cord transplants have much lower life-threatening side effects.

Plus, if a child ever needs the cord blood then it saves time in searching for a donor. If anyone in the family needs the transplant then in all likelihood the cord cells will also match. Early treatment always lessens the progression of the disease helping in faster healing.

There are those who feel that umbilical blood storage has many downsides, the huge price of the procedure being one of them. Public cord blood stem cell banking has helped in reducing the average cost and has helped some underprivileged families access its benefits.

There is an increasing trend for many public hospitals to offer umbilical cord blood storage facilities. It seems this will be the trend towards treating and curing many diseases in the future.

Umbilical Cord Blood And Cord Blood Banking

2009-09-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Research at present has seen stem cells being trialled on individuals with spinal cord damage, various cancers such as leukemia, and the rebuilding or regeneration of our organs. There is hope that at some stage in the future they can take our stem cells and 'grow' new organs like a liver or heart. The best stem cells to use for this new science are those taken from a new born baby through umbilical cord - hence the name umbilical cord stem cells.

How Are Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Collected?

There are several methods used to collect umbilical cord blood. First, it should be remembered that this is not an invasive process. Once a baby is born, the umbilical cord is removed and along with the placenta, disposed of as hospital waste. There are some societies that collect these and either bury or burn them, but in most western societies, they thrown out as hospital waste.

Rather than throwing the umbilical cord and the umbilical cord blood out, either the complete umbilical cord is collected, or the umbilical cord blood is removed using a syringe. The umbilical cord blood is then sent away where the cord blood stem cells are removed and stored until required.

What Is Cord Blood Banking And A Cord Blood Registry?

As a new parent, you have two options for cord blood collection. The first is to 'donate' the cord blood. The umbilical cord stem cells are sent to a central cord blood registry. The cord blood stem cells are then used where the cord blood registry feels is best suited. They often have a waiting list of patients and scientist looking for cord blood stem cells. The most common use at present is for the treatment of juvenile leukemia where it has a high success rate - your baby's cord blood stem cells may well save another youngsters life.

The second option is to have the cord blood stem cells 'banked' for possible future use by your family, and in particular, your baby. There is nothing purer than the baby's own cord blood stem cells if he or she should become sick. Collection will cost around $2000 with an annual fee of around $100. If your child should ever become sick, this will be small price to pay to save their life.

The Future of Cord Blood Stem Cells

Science have looked upon cord blood stem cells as one of the holly grails of science. The ability to repair spinal problems and restore movement to para/quadriplegics has received a huge push due to recent progress in research. There are already 70 known diseases that can be cured using cord blood stem cells - the biggest problem has been the lack of cord blood stem cells to use. It is estimated that only one in fifty umbilical cord blood collections are made. If every baby's cord blood was collected then the lives of hundreds of children to could be improved.

What Can You Do To Help The Collection Of Cord Blood Stem Cells?

The best thing you can do to help increase in the amount of cord blood collected is to use the service. If you are pregnant, ask the hospital or midwife if they collect cord blood. If not, there are many agencies that will collect it, either for for public cord blood banking, or, if you are prepared to pay the price, your own personal cord blood banking. If friends or relatives are pregnant, get them to inquire about the process.

The more people who provide cord blood stem cells, particularly for research, the more likely it is that science will find ways to cure diseases such as juvenile diabetes, brain injuries and spinal column injuries. Why waste a valuable resource by throwing it into a hospital incinerator when it could be used to save lives. The umbilical cord - who would have thought that cord blood stem cells could do so much?

How to Donate Umbilical Cord Blood

2009-09-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

Umbilical cord blood is the blood from the placenta that passes through the umbilical cord to the newborn child. This blood carries more hematopoietic stem cells than that of an adult's blood. Donating umbilical cord blood can help those who suffer from diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma and aplastic anemia. Studies have shown that donated umbilical cord blood may help to create heart valves but more research is needed. In turn, more donations are needed. Follow these steps to learn how to donate umbilical cord blood.

Inform your doctor that you would like to donate umbilical cord blood. Discuss this step with your doctor at your 34th week of pregnancy.
Step 2

Learn whether your hospital collects public cord blood donations. Public cord donations are rarely taken by hospitals due to the expenses associated with this process. If your hospital does not take public donations, you may be eligible to donate through Cryobanks International.
Step 3

Contact Cryobanks International to get eligibility details by calling their donation line or visiting their website. A consent form and health questionnaire will be mailed to you after your eligibility has been determined.
Step 4

Complete consent form and health questionnaire prior to the delivery of the baby. This enables the hospital to care for your cord blood properly and follow all necessary steps to preserve the umbilical cord blood.
Step 5

Inform the delivery team that you are going to donate your umbilical cord blood at the time of delivery. The delivery team will clamp the umbilical cord and collect blood from the cord and the placenta. The blood is placed into a sterilized bag and is stored and referred to as a blood unit.
Step 6

Supply a sample of your blood to test for infectious diseases. This prevents passing diseases to those who might receive donations in the future.
Step 7

Deliver the cord blood unit to the public cord bank. The delivery team will deliver the cord blood unit to the public cord blank within one to two days after the birth of the baby.

Private Cord Blood Banking- Is it for you?

2009-09-06T08:20:00.001-07:00

After deciding to register for cord blood banking, next question that comes to mind is- which kind of cord blood banking would be better. For those interested in preserving the cord blood cells when the new one arrives, there are many options like private, public or research specific donation etc. Selection entirely depends upon personal criteria to foresee future requirements and philanthropy. However, the trend of opting for private cord blood banking is increasing fast comparatively to other options.

Private cord blood banks collect, process and store baby's umbilical cord blood for family's future medical need. To preserve cord blood exclusively for you, they charge a fee that is disclosed at the time of registration. If someone in the family needs stem cell transplants to treat fatal diseases like leukemia, lymphomas, immune deficiencies and sickle cell anemia etc, the preserved stem cells can be utilized. Private cord blood banking is the best way if you want to preserve cord blood of your child exclusively for your family members.

Preserving cord blood of a child in a private cord blood bank is a good step towards a medically secure future but the charges seem on the higher side. Diseases like leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, lymphomas, aplastic anemia, immune deficiency diseases or thalassemia etc can be treated with stem cells of cord blood, and hence, medical experts recommend that private cord blood banking should definitely be done. Different private cord blood banks have different charges for the services. Usually they charge for enrollment, collection and preservation services. Fee for enrollment and collection varies. Cryobanks India has introduced attractive cord blood banking packages which are affordable. There is options to pay in one go or pay over time – this facility brings private cord blood banking within the reach of lakhs of Indian families.

Single cord blood unit doesn't contain enough cells to treat a patient weighing more than 100 pounds and expanding the number of stem cells in one unit is almost impossible at least as of now. However some transplants have been made successfully by mixing 2-3 unmatched cord blood units but still it is not in common practice. The probability of finding a matching preserved cord blood unit in public banks is approximately 75 percent while it is around 25% in private banks in case of the requirements of siblings. Your doctor may reject the preserved cord blood unit because of various reasons, in such a case you will have to go to public cord blood bank.

Cord Blood Collection- once in a lifetime opportunity

2009-09-06T08:19:00.002-07:00

What is Cord Blood?

The blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord following the birth of a child is called cord blood. Till now, it was discarded but recent studies have established its medical importance. So, would-be parents are getting recommendations from medical professionals that they should think about cord blood collection, in India too.

Why Cord Blood Collection?

Cord blood, because of being rich in stem cells, can save the child's life from as many as 75 serious ailments, and is especially useful in case of transplants generally administered while treating diseases like haemophilia, thalassaemia, blood cancer and immunity related genetic disorders. Stem cells are transformed into other cell types within the body to make up for their loss or deficiency. Cord blood preservation provides a type of health insurance to the child. The preserved stem cells of a child may treat many diseases of the parent also, and hence become a ‘lifeline’ for the entire immediate family.

What is the Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Process? Is it Safe?

Umbilical cord blood collection process is very simple, painless and safe. The whole process takes less than five minutes and doesn’t need any specifically trained medical professional. Existing health care provider can do it easily.

Is it possible for C-Section Deliveries?

The process of umbilical cord blood collection is not related with kind of delivery so it can be done in both- normal (vaginal) delivery or cesarean. Fully sterile cord blood collection kits to be used in c-sections are also available.

Umbilical cord blood collection can be done in two ways:

-Syringe method: In this method, a syringe is used for extraction of blood from umbilical cord just after umbilical cord is cut just like we extract blood for blood test.

-Bag method: In this method, instead of using syringe to extract blood, umbilical cord is raised up to let the blood drain in a bag.

The syringe or bags are pre-labeled with a particular code representing your baby. The complete umbilical cord blood collection process takes around 5 minutes. Cord blood may be collected within first 15 minutes after the birth and the collected cells should be processed in the laboratory within 48 hours. Larger stem cell sample means better survival rate during transplant treatment process.

Is there any risk for child during collection?

Some people think that umbilical cord blood collection may affect child’s growth or resistance power. But it is purely a myth. The process doesn’t require any alteration in the delivery process and possesses no threat or problem to the mother and child. Parents with a medical history of cancer, hepatitis, malaria, diabetes and HIV/AIDS etc are not eligible.

Do we need to give prior intimation to the Drs. for collection?

The attending gynaecologist should know well in advance your intention of umbilical cord blood storage so that requisite arrangements to store baby's umbilical cord blood can be made. Anyone interested for cord blood donation should inform the Cord blood bank authorities latest by 34th week of pregnancy. If you are interested in cord blood banking for a lifetime of medical security for your child, contact Cryobanks India and complete extremely simple sign-up formalities.

Donate Cord Blood: You can save a life!

2009-09-06T08:19:00.001-07:00

The birth of a child in the family is a joyous event. You can make sure this joy is spread far and wide by choosing to preserve the umbilical cord blood of the baby. Earlier when the baby was born, the umbilical cord blood was treated as a waste. Today you can get it collected by a public cord blood bank where it can be used to help others – cord blood is rich in stem cells which are useful in the treatment of as many as 75 life threatening diseases. Donating the umbilical cord blood is a very simple decision whereas it can make a world of difference to those receiving it. Just to remove some misconceptions, the labor and delivery is not affected in any way when the umbilical cord blood is collected during the time of birth.

The events in which a doctor may choose to go for cord blood transplant, depend on whether the doctor favors the transplant cells to come from the patient himself or from the donor. The doctors also decide which stem cells source is best suited to the patient, cord blood, peripheral blood or bone marrow.

The donated cord is especially useful for those patients who need a transplant quickly, because the stored cord blood is ready to use. Also, those patients who find it difficult to find a suitable bone marrow donor can also use the cord blood because cord blood need not match the patient's tissue type that closely. Even those patients with ethnically diverse backgrounds may also use the cord blood cells.

At the same time, donating the cord blood cells for public use or preserving it for family’s medical well-being is entirely your personal decision in the end - you can make an informed decision by talking to your doctor about it. Many a times the cord blood sample is not used for a transplant as there are too few stem cells in the cord blood. In that case, the cord blood is used for the research purposes so that the future treatment techniques may be perfected by the doctors.

Cryobanks is a leading umbilical cord blood preservation company which offers private cord blood storage program to the expecting families. Cryobanks is a pioneer in the field of cord blood stem cell storage and processing and it remains committed to serving families requiring the same for family or private use. The company intends to be the largest inventory of cord blood stem cells in India.

Umbilical Cord Blood: Donate, Bank, or Toss

2009-09-06T08:16:00.001-07:00

Listed below are some links to various umbilical cord blood sites and educational information. I personally didn't have this choice when my own children were born in 1986 and 1996 however, in 2000, my IP's decided to bank the cord blood of their newborn twins...and in 2005, my 2nd couple decided NOT to bank the blood of their newborns...so you can see, it is a very personal decision that needs to be made individually. I read on one of these sites that the odds are that the average baby will ever use his or her own banked cord blood is considered very low. The primary reason that parents consider banking their newborn's cord blood is because they have a child or close relative with a family medical history of diseases that can be treated with bone marrow transplants. On the other hand public cord blood banking is strongly supported. Its up to you to research the facts well before the birth. It's a procedure you have to choose and plan for beforehand as it is not routine in hospitals or home births.

Cord Blood: You Are Your Own Best Donor

2009-08-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

When it comes to finding a donor for any medical issue, there are a number of problems and concerns. In most instances, individuals cannot find a proper match for their specific needs, leaving them unable to have a transplant. This is especially true with adoptive children who may not have biological siblings or other family members to check for matches, children without siblings or family members, and individuals of certain races or ethnicities that may not have access to other individuals of their race or ethnicity in their area. Even after a match is found, it is not guaranteed that the transplant will be a success, since the human body is conditioned to repel anything it deems "foreign," even if the item will potentially save your life. Instead of having to worry about these concerns, imagine serving as your own donor, ensuring a perfect match every time and greatly diminishing the worry about rejection. For these many reasons, you may wish to bank cord blood.

According to the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood, cord blood is the blood that is found within the umbilical cord at birth. The umbilical cord serves as a lifeline between mother and child, allowing nutrients to pass to the child in the womb. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which have the potential to treat and cure a host of diseases, from cancer to Parkinson’s. The unique healing aspects of stem cells revolve around the fact that these cells have yet to be given a specific role to play in the human body. These indeterminate cells have the ability to become any type of cell that the body decides it needs, whether it will become a blood cell, bone cell, muscle cell, or any other cell imaginable, stem cells can transform into any cell most needed.

The reason why stem cells from cord blood work so well in transplants is because they take on the responsibility of the non-working cells they attempt to replace. For instance, in people suffering from leukemia, their body is no longer producing the appropriate number of white blood cells in their bone marrow. Before cord blood, leukemia patients must wait to find a bone marrow match and then undergo and transplant that may or may not work. Instead, the match is guaranteed, since the blood comes directly from your body, and the stem cells quickly translate into cells that will become properly working bone marrow to ensure production of white blood cells to fight the disease. Since stem cells can become any type of cells the body needs most, cord blood is used to treat and potentially cure numerous diseases and disorders, including sickle cell anemia and many forms of cancer, especially those affecting infants and children.

Since no donor is required, you do not have to suffer through the waiting period of seeing if a matching cord blood donor will be found. Treatment can begin immediately, allowing you a better chance for a complete recovery since the disease or disorder will not have taken a great hold on your body. Additionally, you can serve as a cord blood donor to your sick sibling using cord blood that is far more effective than anything else you can give to a brother or sister. Many parents choose to bank cord blood in order to treat another child who is experiencing problems—especially children battling childhood cancer. Since siblings are the best chance for a proper match for any type of transplant, cord blood works in many instances to save the life of an ill brother or sister.

Cord Blood Collection - Give Life Another Chance

2009-08-28T05:40:00.004-07:00

The increasing popularity of cord blood collection all over the world is a very positive sign. What was regarded as a waste earlier is now considered most valuable after the delivery of the baby. Yes, I am referring to the umbilical cord blood and the placenta. It is the source of valuable stem cells that are required to cure dozens of diseases.

Some Basics

The collection process in itself is a very quick 15 minutes job. However, the cord blood registry process can take a lot of time. It is suggested that the parents-to-be register at the nearest bank at least three to four months ahead of the delivery date. This process is not just filling an application form; it includes an extensive series of medical tests to ensure that the mother-to-be’s blood is free from infectious diseases and genetic abnormalities. Once the donor clears the medical tests, the registration process is completed. The mother is given the collection kit which she needs to carry with her to the delivery center. She needs to inform the doctor about her plans well in advance in order to avoid any confusion in the labor room. After the delivery, the umbilical cord blood is extracted and stored in specialized packets provided and the bank is informed. The bank sends its representative to collect the blood and couriers it to the preservation center.

A point to be noted here is that there is a minimum amount of blood stipulated for successful preservation. If the amount is less, then the decision lies with the mother whether she wants to continue with the collection or donate it for research. If the situation so requires, the stem cells collected can be processed for immediate use by another patient.

Cord blood collection is an important decision as it could either be a lifesaver for your child and its siblings or it could turn out to be just an expense for the next twenty years. Either way, people who go in for preservation, prefer to look at it as a family insurance. Fifteen years down the line, if you feel that your children have grown up without any problems and are not likely to need the cord blood unit, you can choose to sell it off via the cord blood bank to a needy person.

Storing cord blood for the future emergency is not a bad idea at all. The cord blood collection process is a very quick job. However, the cord blood registry process can take a lot of time. Get more information on Cord blood by visiting the pregnancy period.

Cord blood usage in infant medicine

2009-08-28T05:40:00.003-07:00

After collecting the cord blood in maximum 15 minutes after the baby is born, processing it is the following phase in order to be viable for further medical operations. The processing of cord blood includes specific steps, such as RBC depletion, shipping and the actual freezing. The freezing or, scientifically said, the cryopreservation is applied within 1 day after the actual collection and can be successfully preserved for indefinite years.

There are various pediatric solutions that include using the cord blood. The most major ones are the children cancers and blood diseases, including infant leukemia (juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia) or immune system disorders. All these are usually treated with chemotherapy, which, besides its benefic effects, also negatively affects some good cells. A significant cord blood usage in infant medicine is the marrow transplant. This procedure has the result of providing new and healthy blood cells, which leads to a safer immune system of the child. Besides these, there are some rare genetic diseases that require cord blood stem cells. Among these rare disorders, there is the fatal Krabbe Disease, which is characterized by causing severe degeneration of mental and motor skills of the child.

If receiving the stem cells from the umbilical cord before the actual manifestation of the symptoms, the brain development can be successfully preserved. Hurler Syndrome, Adrenoleukodystrophy, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease are also other rare and severe conditions that affect the infants and can be successfully treated if using the cord blood stems. Hurler’s Syndrome is a genetic and progressive disorder that results from the body’s incapacity to make a significant enzyme. The disease damages many organs and most importantly, it affects the heart and causes death in the early teens. The Sandoff disorder has a result the progressive deterioration of the central nervous system and, like the Krabble disease, it is fatal before the age of 3.

Cord blood is not used as a temporary solution in serious medical cases of infants. Cord blood actually provides a new and healthy blood structure that increases the safety of the immune system and prevents further imbalances.

Cord Blood and its uses

2009-08-28T05:40:00.001-07:00

Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of the child and is collected after the cord has been cut off. The umbilical cord is routinely discarded with the placenta after a child is born. It is also called placental blood. Cord blood has lots of blood producing stem cells which can be frozen and later used for transplants. Cord blood is genetically unique to the child and the family. Now researchers have found that it can be used to treat many diseases.

Cord blood is now used as an alternative to bone marrow transplant when in future if the child or his family is diagnosed with cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and other disorders of the blood-making system, such as sickle-cell anemia; severe immune-system disorders; and genetic defects affecting the blood-making system. Researchers are further studying the use of cord blood for the treatment of different types of diseases like arthritis, spinal cord damage, stroke diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, Purkinje cell degeneration, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, heart disease, and vision and hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease, burns osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

All stem cells—regardless of their source—have three general properties: they are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods; they are unspecialized; and they can give rise to specialized cell types. The cord blood contains blood-producing hematopoietic stem cells as well as mesenchymal stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells have the ability to generate: three major types of brain cells (neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes); skeletal muscle cells; cardiac muscle cells; and liver cells.
Mesenchymal stem cells can create various tissues in the body such as cartilage, bone, muscle, tendon, ligament and fat.

Cord blood transplants have become a strong alternative to bone marrow transplants. Cord blood is easier to collect than traditional bone marrow donation and it is not painful to extract, doesn’t require invasive surgery. It is extremely difficult to find a suitable donor for a marrow transplant because six HLAs, or human lymphocyte antigens, a group of proteins in bone marrow cells that can provoke an immune response, need to match or a perfect match is required. In cord blood transplant only three HLAs loci need to match. So in cord blood there is more opportunity for transplant to siblings, parents and grandparents. Cord blood has 10 times more blood-making cells concentrated in it than bone marrow.

Cord Blood Banking

2009-08-28T05:39:00.003-07:00

Cord blood banking is the process of collection, processing and storing of stem cells extracted from the placenta and the umbilical cord for future uses. The cord blood will then be available to your child or any of your family members later if they become sick. Cord blood banking can thus help in the treatment of life threatening diseases especially blood related diseases like leukemia and cancer. Cord blood collected can be transplanted in later years onto the child or his family member if any life threatening diseases arise.

Cord blood collection is a safe and painless procedure and can be done only once at birth. Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Collections are either by syringe method or by bag collection method. The cells should be processed and preserved within 48 hours. The cord blood then is tested to check the eligibility standards. Red blood cells and Plasma which are not needed for transplantation are removed. Cord blood is frozen in minus 200 degree centigrade and is stored in vinyl or plastic bag and frozen in liquid nitrogen. It is also stored in vials. Look for those banks which will store in multiple vials or bags and not in single vials or bags. It helps in treating many people rather than one. Cord Blood can be stored for up to 20 years.

There are three types of cord blood banks. One is family bank or also known as private cord blood bank and the other is public donor bank. Now a third type of bank has emerged which is public- private hybrid. Currently there are only two other hybrid banks in the country. In family banks cord blood is stored for your family’s personal use while in public donor banks for publics or non-related person’s use i.e. there is no guarantee that your child’s cord blood will be available to your child when it is needed. It can be donated for free. It is always advisable to select an accredited blood bank especially by AABB American Association of Blood Banks for Cord Blood Banking. Currently in 2006 the cost of private banking is around $600 to $2000 – a one time fee at the beginning and approximately $80 to $100 per year for maintenance. In hybrid banks the public side of the bank will accept the cord blood and will enter it to the national databank so that it will be available to anyone with a good genetic match. On the private side it will cover the cost like any private banks. Private banking is unlawful in France and Italy so doctors advice to donate it. It is also opposed by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies.

Cord blood banking is usually done by the parents so that they can be confident that if in future the need to transplant arises for the child the most perfect matching stem cells will be available. Fathers and siblings will have a 25% chance of matching cord blood stem cells. It can also be used for grandparents and cousins if it matches. If you or any one in your family already has any disease like sickle cell anemia, aplastic anemia, leukemia, thalassemia, metabolic storage disorders or certain genetic immunodeficiencies it is advisable to store your child’s cord blood. The chances that a child will need to use his stem cells are 1 in 2500. So some consider the money spend on it as waste.

Reasons For Donating Umbilical Cord Blood

2009-08-28T05:39:00.001-07:00

Cord blood banking generated debates about the implications of donating against private storage of umbilical blood. Umbilical cord blood, a "miracle" in medical and scientific research, is found to contain stem cells which are highly valuable in treating blood-related diseases. Its "primitiveness" can regenerate whole immune systems necessary for curing chronic diseases like leukemia, anemia, and immune system disorders. Despite its many uses, there are limited donations made in public banks because of several reasons. Lack of equipment, incompetent information dissemination, and financial problems are common reasons. But other than these, the desire of parents to save their children's blood for familial use is a stronger reason. Most families are opting to keep stem cells as "medical insurance" in case one of them gets sick with a blood disease. If you are thinking about your options, recent studies prove that public storage is more beneficial to the donating family and others.

First, there is little chance that immediate members of the donating family can use the donated stem cells. Umbilical cord blood from the sick child himself is unsuitable for his use. The genetic materials that made the disease possible is also encoded in the blood cells. The parents also contain strains of these genetic materials which make them unsuitable candidates for the blood's use. Besides, stem cells harvested from umbilical blood are usually not enough to cure adults or persons weighing over a hundred pounds.

Second, if you do need umbilical blood, chances are higher that your match is in public stores rather than private storage. National Marrow Donor Program's Dennis Confer affirms that an exact match between a donor's umbilical blood and his sibling is pegged at only 25%, while exact matches from public stores is at 75%. He claims that the latter is higher if internationally-based cord blood banking systems are included.

Third, doctors often prefer umbilical blood procured through public banking systems. Unlike private storage, public banks have regulated and rigorous standards for umbilical cord blood preservation. They have standards on amount, sanitation, and trained, qualified staff. Private storage are just ordinary businesses - they aim for profit. They may limit the amount of harvested samples to make room for more, or hire less than qualified staff to lower manpower costs. By keeping umbilical blood in private stores, its quality is highly at risk.

Fourth, donating umbilical blood in public banks does not limit your access to it unless it was used. Public and government-regulated cord blood banking institutions give priority to donors if they need their donated blood. Also, there are very slim chances that your donated umbilical blood is used. Lawrence Petz from StemCyte - a top public/private umbilical blood bank - estimates that only 5% of banked donations are used.

Lastly, donating umbilical cord blood is more economical because it's free. Private banks charge as much as $2,000 for collection and registration, and another $100 yearly for storage. That's a lot of money for something you might not even use. But by donating umbilical blood to cord blood banking institutions, you are giving a chance at life to other people without expense on your part. You never know but the life your donated umbilical blood saves might be the your savior in the unforeseen future.

Donating Umbilical Cord Blood

2009-08-28T05:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier after childbirth, the umbilical cord was thrown away as it is no longer needed for the baby. Now, instead of throwing away as a waste, it can be donated for public use. It is noteworthy that donating cord blood neither affects the mother nor the child. A healthy woman (18 years and older) who had a normal pregnancy and delivery can donate her child’s umbilical cord blood in public cord-blood banks. This can be used later for saving someone with a life-threatening disease.

If a woman has decided to donate cord blood, she needs to talk to the concerned physician and contact public cord-blood banks. If the concerned hospital has facilities for collecting public cord blood, then the public cord-blood bank will confirm whether she can donate or not based on the result of the blood test. If the blood test result is negative for infectious diseases, the concerned bank will give a consent letter in which the mother has to sign. After that further procedure of collecting and preserving cord blood is done and the cord blood is stored for public use.

Cord Blood Banking: Donating Umbilical Cord Blood

2009-08-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

Umbilical cord is a flexible cord like structure that connects the developing fetus or embryo with the placenta. It consists of two umbilical arteries and one vein; umbilical vein is responsible for providing oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to the developing fetus and the umbilical arteries remove the deoxygenated, nutrient-depleted blood. An umbilical cord is about 50 cm long and has a diameter of about 2 cm.

Umbilical Cord Blood

In general, the umbilical cord is cut after a baby is born; however some amount of blood still remains in the placental blood vessels and its attached umbilical cord. This blood is called umbilical cord blood or placental blood or simply cord blood. About 180 ml of cord blood can be obtained at the time of childbirth.

Cord blood contains all the basic elements of blood such as red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), blood platelets and plasma. In addition, it contains blood-forming (hematopoietic) stem cells similar to the ones found in the bone marrow. They have the potential to develop into other types of cells of the body. Because of this important property of hematopoietic stem cells, cord blood is used for transplantation as an alternative to bone marrow.