Cord blood banking is simply the proper storage of your child’s umbilical cord blood for future use. And by “future use”, we mean just in case your child or a near relative needs tissue or cord blood transplants in the future, then he or she may have a ready source of it.
Umbilical cord blood is increasing in importance in the medical field, mainly because of its central role in regenerative medicine. As scientists continue to develop treatments to regrow or repair human tissue, one’s own cord blood is of course the best source of stem cells because such will not be rejected by the immune system.
Why umbilical cord blood is so important?
Diseases such as type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular problems, brain or nervous system injuries, and of course, cancer can be cured with cord blood transplants. In fact, so far, more than 80 kinds of diseases have been cured using cord blood.
Cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells, which are cells that can form into red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.That is why cord blood stem cells are most effectively used in the treatment of diseases related to the blood and immune system. Also, it is used as an alternative to bone marrow. That is why cord blood banking is a critical decision to make even before a baby is born–just in case the baby grows into adulthood and suddenly develops a medical condition that requires bone marrow transplant.
How umbilical cord blood is collected
When a child is born (specifically normal vaginal delivery), the umbilical cord is clamped on both sides and cut. Most often, the umbilical cord blood is collected by the obstetrician or nurse. Collecting umbilical cord blood from cesarain births is more complicated because the main concern of the obstetrician is tending to the mother’s condition and safety, so collection of cord blood comes secondary. Only after the baby has been delivered and the mother’s uterus has been sutured can cord blood be collected. However, there is usually less cord blood collected from a cesarian birth than that of a normal delivery.
But depending on which country you live or your arrangements with the medical facility, cord blood collection is not actually routine. You have to arrange for it before the birth to be sure.
The collected cord blood is carefully placed in bags or syringes and taken by courier to the cord blood bank. At the cord blood bank, the blood is assigned an identifying number, then the stem cells are separated from the blood and stored frozen in liquid nitrogen.
One important note on the stem cell controversy
Umbilical cord blood stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells) are different from embryonic stem cells, whose use in current studies is somewhat controversial because og highly disputed ethical issues.
For more information, please visit “Umbilical cord blood: cure cancer, reverse aging, and beat serious diseases.”
Also: Cord blood banking–everything you need to know.