4 Quick Facts to Learn About Cord Blood

 

Cord blood is the blood in a baby’s umbilical cord and it has been discovered that this blood product contains stem cells that can grow into blood vessels, organs, and tissues. In turn, doctors and the entire medical system have taken these products and turned them into a virtual life-saving tool for many patients. Cord blood is harvested by collecting the blood left in a newborn baby’s umbilical cord and placenta and storing it for medical use in the future. It is taken right after the baby is born in a painless and safe for both baby and mother. The umbilical cord is clamped and cut and the cord blood is removed and placed immediately into storage.

1. What is cord blood?

Cord blood is rich in stem cells, those magically powerful cells that have the ability to transform into just about any human cell and treat innumerable diseases that affect both children and adults. It can be used to treat a baby later in life if they ever become ill with certain diseases. It might also save the life of a sick sibling or relative and banking cord blood is a way of preserving potentially life-saving cells that usually get thrown away after birth. Stem cells are actually immature cells that can both reproduce themselves and have the potential to turn into other types of cells. There are several types of stem cells and the ones in the umbilical cord blood and bone marrow called hematopoietic progenitor cells are some of the powerful stem cells available.

2. What can the stem cells be used to treat?

Stem cells can be used to treat innumerable diseases that can affect both children and adults. The range of issues is wide and varied and can include leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and others. Patients with these types of diseases receive an injection of those hematopoietic progenitor cells to help them replenish their blood supply with new, healthy cells. The stem cells can then help them and their body recover from a variety of cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. Cord blood cells can be lifesaving for these diseases and this has been proven many times over. It is estimated that more than 20,000 lives have been saved in the U.S. alone in recent years.

3. Should you save your baby’s cord blood?

Even though the odds may be small that a child will ever use his or her own stored cord blood, many parents do like the idea of saving and keeping their baby’s cord blood, just in case. And while there are only a few recorded and documented cases of a child receiving his or her own banked cord blood as treatment, it is still an attractive option for many families. There are also costs to consider. Cord banks often charge as much as $2,000 for initial processing fees and on a continuing basis they charge an annual storage fee of about $100 a year. Cord blood can be stored for quite a period of time. According to the National Marrow Donor Program if stored properly, cord blood should be good for up to about 10 years.

4. For the baby and the rest of the family

Taking cord blood is simple and painless and for families that have a history of leukemia, sickle cell anemia, or other blood disorders, it makes a lot of sense. It could make sense for the baby themselves, or for any other member of the family. Siblings are more likely to be a genetic match, which is crucial for a stem cell transplant for these serious diseases and conditions. The odds may be small that another family member would use the cord blood, but it might be enough to save the life of another precious family member.