Why Donate Cord Blood & Tissue?

Stem cells, also known as ‘master cells’ are not only used for research purposes but are also used for clinical practices. Some of the major physical conditions that can be treated with stem cell transplants include cancers, blood disorders, congenital metabolic disorders and immunodeficiency disorders. Benefits of stem cell research are many and that is why researchers have been encouraging the storage and preservation of cord blood cells and tissues.

You can either store your newborn’s cord blood in a reliable private bank offering family cord blood services or donate it to a public bank. CB given to a private bank is processed and frozen in cryogenic storage tanks for long-term preservation. Storing the umbilical cord blood tissue can cost you a pretty penny, whereas donating the CB to a public bank is free. If you can’t afford the expensive costs of private family cord blood banking services, then it is advised to donate it rather than throwing it away. Cancer patients who need stem cell transplants might be looking for a donor and they rely on the public bank donations. Your donation to the public cord blood bank can be a life-saving match for cancer patients and can give them a second chance at life. 

If you have decided to donate your baby’s cord blood and cord blood tissue, then it is important for you to sign up for the process in between the 28^th and 34^th week of pregnancy. Speak with your doctor for availing more information and guidance. Public cord blood banks have several set of guidelines and eligibility criteria. Go through the details before signing up for the donation. Moreover, you need to submit a consent form and also complete a questionnaire about your maternal and family health. Last but not the least, your blood sample will be collected and screened for infectious diseases in order to ensure the safety of transplant patients.

Donating Your Baby’s Cord Blood

Great advancements have been reported in the field of stem cell research in the recent years. With several research and clinical trials underway, the future of stem cell banking and regenerative medicine therapy looks promising. While embryonic stem cell research is surrounded by ethical controversies and moral hazards, scientists have been shifting their focus to alternate sources of stem cells. That is how umbilical cord stem cell banking gained its name and fame over the past decade. Presence of the master cells in the new born baby’s cord blood was a new milestone in the history of stem cell banking and research. But the topic of cord blood banking is confusing for both the expectant parents and the medical community. 

The most important thing which  the expectant parents should know about their newborn’s cord blood

is that it has an immense potential to treat more than 80 life threatening conditions including different forms of cancer, inherited metabolic disorders and other debilitating diseases. Newborn baby’s cord blood contains Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) which develop into blood-related cells in the body, while the cord tissue contains Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which develops into structural and connective tissues. Both the HSCs and MSCs are subjected to a set of progressive clinical trials and is expected to cure several disorders such as spinal cord injury, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s'disease, Alzheimer’s , lung disease, arthritis and organ failures.

Expectant parents can either donate or store their baby’s umbilical cord blood. If you donate the cord blood, then it will be stored in a public banking facility. Patients who are in need for stem cell transplants are benefitted from the cord blood stored in the public banks. When you want your baby’s cord blood stored for you and your family, then private banking is the ideal option. Both the private and public cord blood banking facilities work in compliance with the federal regulations and meet stringent quality standards. Expectant parents who find it hard to afford the highly expensive private cord blood pricing may think about the public bank donations, where it can be used to treat someone else.

Facts About Cord Blood Banking

Most of the expectant parents know what cord bloodbanking is and how it can prove beneficial in the long run. Here are some of the must-known facts that will cut the information overload and help you in taking an informed decision.

The process of collecting the umbilical cord blood(CB) doesn’t harm the new-born or the mother in any way. Since, the CB is collected right after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped, it poses no threat to the baby or the mother. No matter whether it was a vaginal delivery or caesarean section, the collection procedure of cord blood is the same. Around three to five ounces of blood are collected from the umbilical cord during  this process. 

You can find public and private cord blood banking facilities. Umbilical cord blood donated to the

public banks is used either for research purposes or for any lifesaving stem cell transplants. On the other hand, you need to pay a hefty amount of money to store your baby’s cord blood in a private bank facility. However, the storage fees you pay at the private facility will be worth it, as your baby’s cord blood is saved specifically for your own family. Expectant parents who can’t afford the fees of private cord blood banking pricing can think about donating their new-born’s cord blood to a public bank. 

Whether you are planning to donate the cord blood to a public bank or store it in a private facility, the expectant mother will be tested for various infections and diseases. For example, moms who have been treated for cancer can’t donate their cord blood.

If you have been planning to bank your new-born’s cord blood, then it is important to start your planning ahead of time. Put your research skills into use to collect as much information as possible. Browse through the reliable web sources and seek the guidance of your healthcare practitioner to find out more details about the cord blood banking procedures.

Pros and Cons of Cord Blood Banking

If you are an expectant parent, then you might be probably hearing about the umbilical cord blood banking services and its benefits. As the name implies, Cord blood or CB is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta, that can be harvested right after the child birth. Up until the discovery of stem cell presence in the cord blood, it was discarded as a medical waste. Stem cells, also known as the master cells of human body have a remarkable potential to serve as a sort of repair system. Moreover, its ability to differentiate into other specialised cells offers a promising approach for the regenerative medicine research and other therapeutic applications. Recent advancements in the cord blood cell therapies and transplants have significantly changed the scope of stem cell research. 

Why expectant parents should think about banking their new-born’s cord blood?  Umbilical cord blood, being a rich source of stem cells can turn out to be a lifesaving option for the treatment of many serious diseases and disorders –including cancer, blood disorders, immune system disorders and genetically inherited diseases. Several clinical trials are underway exploring the cord tissue banking benefits.Cord blood containsHematopoietic stem cells which develop into blood-related cells, whereas cord tissue contains Mesenchymal stem cells which develop into structural and connective tissues. According to the researchers, cord tissue stem cell banking may prove useful in treating the spinal cord injuries and strokes in near future. 

Umbilical cord blood banking can prove valuable in limited circumstances, but the chances that your baby will ever need it are slim to none. Also, cord blood stem cell banking is not a sure-fire thing as it can’t cure everything. For instance, if a child has got leukemia, doctors would generally prefer for a stem cell match from another donor as the child’s cord blood has the same genes that permitted the leukemia to develop in the first place.So, it is always up to the expectant parents to decide whether or not to bank their new-born’s umbilical cord blood. 

Benefits of Stem Cells You Need to Know

All of you might have heard about the stem cell research and treatments, right? Being the master cells of human body, stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into any type of cell. Even though stem cells are unspecialized, they can produce specialized cells. Moreover, these master cells have the capability of dividing and renewing themselves for a prolonged period of time. Such special attributes and unique features of stem cells offer the vast potential to treat a number of diseases and disorders. Stem cells can be collected from embryos, bone marrow, amniotic fluid, teeth, umbilical cord blood, placenta and umbilical cord blood tissue. Though embryonic stem cell harvesting and research has been surrounded by a lot of ethical, legal and social controversies, umbilical cord blood tissue stem cell banking has gained wide acceptance.

Medical researchers and scientists have been working hard for making the most out of the unique properties and remarkable benefits of stem cells. New therapeutic applications for these master cells are discovered every day and that is why the future possibilities of stem cell therapy looks bright for treating a number of debilitating medical conditions. Currently, stem cells are used to treat more than 80 diseases which include numerous types of malignancies, anemia’s, inherited metabolic disorders and deficiencies of the immune system. With several clinical trials and studies underway, researchers believe that stem cell treatments and regenerative medicine therapy can revolutionize the future of medicine. 

If you are an expectant parent who is well aware about the incredible benefits of stem cells therapies, then you should  consider banking your newborn’s cord blood. Harvesting the umbilical cord blood and tissue is a non-invasive and painless procedure that poses no harm to the mother or the child. Newborn’s umbilical cord blood banking may prove as a rich source of life-saving treatment not only for your child but also for your family members in the future.

Is the Cord Blood Banking Cost Worth it?

Remarkable benefits of stem cell research are many and one of the major breakthroughs in the field of stem cell research and development was the discovery of stem cell presence in umbilical cord blood. This discovery led to a new practise in the medical field – cord blood banking.  If you are an expectant parent, then it is one of the most important decisions that you need to make before the birth of the baby. 

Blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord is termed as cord blood (CB). Researchers have

found out that the cord blood is rich in stem cells. Harvesting the cord blood right after the child birth and preserving it for long term storage is termed as umbilical cord blood banking. Valuable stem cells present in the CB has the potential to treat ischemic vascular disease, metabolic storage disease, hemoglobinopathies, neurological disorders, malignant and non-malignant diseases. Moreover, the umbilical cord blood stem cells are also used for regenerative medicine therapy.  Preserving the cord blood cells and cord tissues proves beneficial not only for the baby, but also for other members of the family. Expectant parents need to realise the remarkable benefits of stem cell research and think about banking the newborn’s umbilical cord blood, especially if your family has a medical history of genetically inherited diseases or disorders.

Private and public umbilical cord blood bankingservices are available. A whopping amount of money is charged by the private cord blood banks for the collection, processing and storage of CB, whereas donation of CB to a public bank is free of cost. If you have decided to bank your newborn’s cord blood in private facility, then it is strongly recommended to start the planning in advance. Do spend some extra time in research and planning, which will help you in finding the best family cord blood banking services. Expectant parents who can’t afford the higher private cord blood banking prices can donate the baby’s cord blood to public banks so that it will be available for free to anyone who needs it.

Reasons to Save Baby’s Cord Blood & Tissue

Umbilical cord and placenta, which was once discarded as  a medical waste, has currently turned out to be the life-saving material. Stem cell banking using the cord blood cells has gained immense popularity across the globe. Unlike the embryonic stem cell research, cord blood stem cell banking doesn’t have any ethical controversies or complexities surrounding them. 

Cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells, which has the remarkable potential to treat

more than 80 diseases including but not limited to cancers, blood disorders, immune disorders, metabolic disorders and inherited diseases. Moreover, it is also considered as a safe and effective alternative to bone  marrow during the stem cell transplants. That is why majority of the doctors and researchers have been encouraging the expectant parents to bank their newborn baby’s cord blood. Public and private cord blood banking facilities are available from which the expectant parents can make their pick. If you are planning to bank your newborn baby’s cord blood for personal use by the family, then private cord blood bank facilities can help you out. However, you have to pay the initial processing and long term storage fees. On the other hand, you can also decide to donate the cord blood for regenerative medicine research or stem cell transplant purpose, at free of cost. If you choose the later, then you need to get in touch with a public cord blood bank.

Not just the cord blood, but the cord tissue also contains stem cells which has the power to treat debilitating conditions. Several clinical trials are underway exploring the umbilical cord tissue benefits. According to the researchers, hematopoietic stem cells present in the cord tissue has the potential to treat the medical conditions affecting cartilage, muscle and nerve cells. Expectant parents having a clear understanding about the cord blood and umbilical cord tissue benefits need to think through decisions.