What is cord blood?

What is cord blood?

Before a baby is born he is connected to his mother by the umbilical cord and placenta. They allow nutrients to flow from the mother into the baby. After a baby is born his umbilical cord is cut and he is detached from the mother. The remaining umbilical cord and placenta, called the afterbirth, is expelled from the mother’s body minutes after the baby is born. Usually, the doctors and nurses throw it away. However, there is blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta, and this blood can be collected and used to help someone. It is called ‘cord blood’.

• What is cord blood used for? 

Cord blood has been used in the treatment of more than 70 different diseases so far. The most common disease category has been leukemia. The next largest group are inherited diseases (of red blood cells, the immune system, and certain metabolic abnormalities.) Patients with "lymphoma", "myelodysplasia" and severe "aplastic" anemia have also been successfully transplanted with cord blood. 
"Cord blood" is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following birth. Umbilical cord blood contains unique cells called "stem cells" what is Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and immediately after the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. It is a painless, safe procedure. When cord blood is collected and stored, the stem cells are immediately available for transplantation.

• What's special about cord blood?

Cord blood stem cells can be used in the treatment of many life-threatening diseases including certain cancers and immune and genetic disorders. what is Cord blood stem cells have the ability to treat the same diseases as bone marrow with significantly less rejection? Stem cell research may also help provide new treatments for stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and muscular dystrophy, to name a few.

• Why store your baby’s umbilical cord blood?

Your baby's birth provides the once-in-a-lifetime chance to collect and freeze your baby's unique cord blood stem cells for their current uses, and future potential medical uses.
Cord blood stem cells are a perfect match for your baby, have a 25% probability of being an exact match for a sibling (even greater chances of being a viable match), and can be potentially used for parents and grandparents.

• What Are Cord Blood Registries?

A Cord Blood Registry, or what is Cord Blood Bank, refers to a private service that has been set up to allow you to store (or bank) the umbilical cord blood of your newborn son or daughter.
Cord blood registries are new services that are designed to allow you to save the stem cells found in cord blood from your child at the time of the birth. There currently is some debate on whether cord blood banking is yet a practical solution for parents concerned about the health of their children, but many consider it a simple life insurance against unforeseen illness.

• Is Cord Blood Storage Expensive?

At this time, cord blood bank storage services are not inexpensive. Many services will charge an upfront fee for the collection of cord blood (at the time of delivery), as well as yearly fees to store the blood. The current costs of cord blood storage are probably the biggest argument against it.

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