Why Bank Umbilical Cord Blood?
Cord blood banking is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to be prepared for the future of medicine. Umbilical cord stem cells are a potentially lifesaving resource for your child, their siblings, and other family members.
Cord Blood is FDA Approved
Most of the diseases for which umbilical cord blood is a standard treatment are disorders of blood cell lineage, such as blood cancers, tumors, and other disorders. The hematopoietic stem cells in umbilical cord blood are used to rebuild the body following chemotherapy and other aggressive treatments. Currently, there are over 80 FDA approved treatments using umbilical cord blood, including childhood leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and other blood cancers and immune disorders.
Cord Blood Contains Genetic Information
Unlike that of older children and adults, newborn umbilical cord blood contains important baseline genetic information without the influence of environmental factors. This baseline genetic information can be compared later in life to determine if there have been changes caused by environmental factors. It can provide valuable insights into understanding the influence of food, drugs, stress, or exposure to toxins on how genes function and what treatment options are available.
Using only a small portion of the stem cells you store, your medical professional can use your newborn’s stem cells for genetic analysis. They would simply contact us to request a small sample of your child’s stem cells for DNA analysis and our team will have it processed and shipped to them.
Why Doctors Choose Cord Blood Treatments
Doctors look at a variety of factors when determining which cell source is best for a patient. A doctor might choose cord blood for transplant because:
- Cord blood doesn’t have to be as closely matched to the patient as a marrow donor, so it may be an option for patients with uncommon tissue types.
- Cord blood units are stored and ready to use, so it’s quickly available when a patient needs a transplant right away.
- Studies have found that a transplant complication called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is less common and less severe after cord blood transplant than after a transplant using peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC).
Why Families Choose Cord Blood Banking
Other family members may also be able to take advantage of the potentially lifesaving benefits of your newborn’s cord blood. Children with the same biological parents have a 25% chance of being a perfect HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigens) match and a 50% chance of being a partial HLA match. Human Leukocyte Antigens are proteins that your immune system uses to recognize which cells belong in your body and which do not.
Parents and grandparents may also be able to use your newborn’s cord blood for certain therapies.
LATEST ARTICLES
So much research is going on with stem cells from cord blood as scientists work to unlock the secrets of stem cells. Much of the research centers on the anti-inflammatory properties of stem cells from umbilical cord blood. Medical research into stem cells is ongoing, offering the potential to treat diseases or injuries that have […]
Stem cells perform three important functions: 1. They renew themselves; 2. Differentiate into other cells; and 3. Renew other cells. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can restore the immune system following chemotherapy or radiation for leukemia, lymphoma, and other life-threatening diseases. Historically, HSCs have only been available from bone marrow and peripheral blood transplants. As cord […]
In addition to potentially life-saving stem cells, your newborn’s umbilical cord blood also contains their DNA. Storing your child’s cord blood ensures that their baseline genetic information will be available if ever needed. What Can Genes Tell Us? The sum total of all the information coded into your child’s individual genes is their genome. Simply […]
Donate Cord Blood
By donating your newborn’s cord blood, you are joining a nationwide effort to create a genetically diverse inventory of stem cells for transplant to a child.
