Why umbilical cord blood banking

This makes it go hand in hand with delayed cord clamping because it is not as affected by volume, effectively making up for the smaller quantity with a superior quality. You can read more about delayed cord clamping vs. Banked cord blood is most abundant in white blood cells and stem cells. While a lot of attention is paid to the stem cells, there are approximately 10 times more total nucleated cells TNCs than stem cells in any cord blood collection.

TNCs are basically white blood cells, or leukocytes; they are the cells of the immune system that protect the body. Despite stem cells comprising one-tenth of most collections, cord blood is still considered a rich source of hematopoietic he-mah-toe-po-ee-tic stem cells HSCs. Hematopoietic stem cells can become two categories of cells: myeloid and lymphoid cells.

Myeloid cells go on to form your red blood cells, platelets, and other cells of the blood. Lymphoid cells go on to become the B cells and T cells and are the basis for the immune system.

Cord blood also contains mesenchymal meh-sen-ki-mal stem cells MSCs , but they are much more abundant in cord tissue, which we will discuss in a minute. In addition to the stem cells, researchers are discovering specific uses for the other types of cells in the treatment of certain conditions. Cord blood Treg cells hold potential for preventing graft-versus-host disease in stem cell transplantations and ameliorating the effects of autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Cord blood natural killer cells also hold future potential. These cells have been programmed to target specific cancers and tumors in clinical trials. This could make them exceptionally strong candidates for chronic or treatment-resistant cases of cancer. Another way scientists are working with stem cells is through expansion technologies that spur replication of the cord blood stem cells.

If proven effective and approved by the U. Food and Drug Administration, these expansion technologies will allow scientists to culture many stem cells from a small sample. This could provide doctors and researchers with enough stem cells to treat multiple family members with one cord blood collection or provide the baby with multiple treatments over time. To better prepare for the day when these expansion technologies are more easily accessible, some cord blood banks have begun to separate their cord blood collections into separate compartments, which can easily be detached from the rest of the collection and used independently.

You can learn more about Cryo-Cell's five-chambered storage bag here. Cord blood contains mesenchymal stem cells but is much more abundant in hematopoietic stem cells. Cord tissue, on the other hand, contains some hematopoietic stem cells but is much richer in mesenchymal stem cells. Its MSCs can become a host of cells including those found in the nervous system, sensory organs, circulatory tissues, skin, bone, cartilage, and more.

MSCs are currently undergoing clinical trials for sports injuries, heart and kidney disease, ALS, wound healing and autoimmune disease. As with cord blood, cord tissue is easily collected at the type of birth and holds great potential in regenerative medicine. Learn more about cord tissue banking here. If someone doesn't have cord blood stored, they will have to rely on stem cells from another source.

For that, we can go back to the history of cord blood, which really begins with bone marrow. Bone marrow contains similar although less effective and possibly tainted versions of the same stem cells abundant in cord blood. Scientists performed the first bone marrow stem cell transplant in between identical twins. Because of the invasive procedure required to obtain the bone marrow, scientist continued to look for a better source, which eventually lead to the discovery of similar stem cells in cord blood in Cord blood was used in its first transplant in , and cord blood has since been shown to be more advantageous than other means of acquiring similar stem cells and immune system cells.

Cord blood has not been exposed to disease or environmental pollutants, and it is more accepting of foreign cells. In this case, inexperience makes it stronger. As noted earlier, with better matching, there is a greater chance of success and less risk of graft-versus-host disease GvHD in any stem cell transplant.

With cord blood, the baby's own cells are always a perfect match and share little risk. When using cord blood across identical twins, there is also a very low chance of GvHD although mutations and biological changes caused by epigenetic factors can occur. Bone marrow and similar sources often requires an invasive, surgical procedure and one's own stem cells may already have become diseased, which means the patient will have to find matching stem cells from another family member or unrelated donor.

This will increase the risk of GvHD. In addition, finding an unrelated matched donor can be difficult, and once a match is ascertained, it may take valuable weeks, even months, to retrieve.

Learn more about why cord blood is preferred to the next best source, bone marrow. But you'll be helping them out, in the same way an organ donor does.

This is done free of charge, and you receive no payment. You can donate cord blood to a family member with a medical condition that responds to stem cell treatment - you will need to get the treating doctor's approval for this free service.

You can also store the cord blood in a private cord blood bank, so it can be used by your family if it is ever needed. Private cord blood banking will involve fees. You need to make arrangements for cord blood banking before the birth. Talk to your obstetrician or midwife for further information.

To donate cord blood, you need to give birth in a participating collection hospital and make arrangements before admission. You will need to complete a health and travel history, and give informed consent. This is a good time to ask questions. You'll have a blood sample is taken to check for infectious diseases. There are other strict health and lifestyle criteria that you'll need to meet. After your baby is born, and after the umbilical cord is cut, a trained staff member draws blood from the cord.

This won't hurt you or your baby. A small amount of the blood is kept aside for testing for viruses and other infections. The rest of the blood is frozen and stored in a cord blood banks. Cord blood for private use is managed by private companies that charge fees. If you're considering using a private service, ask about all the fees involved.

Further information can be found online or through your doctor. The cord blood will be assessed to see if it is suitable for treatment. If not, it can be used for research purposes, but only if you've given consent. When your baby is 6 months old, you and your baby will be contacted to have a free health check. If that is all clear, then the blood can be used. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

Get the facts. Your options Have your baby's cord blood collected and sent to a private cord blood bank or a public cord blood bank. Do not bank or donate your baby's cord blood. Key points to remember Doctors do not recommend that you bank cord blood on the slight chance that your baby will need stem cells someday. If your baby were to need stem cells, he or she would probably need stem cells from someone else rather than his or her own stem cells. Although privately banked cord blood is not likely to help your baby, it may help a sibling who has an illness that could be treated with a stem cell transplant.

These include leukemia , sickle cell disease , Hodgkin's lymphoma, and thalassemia. Doctors recommend that you bank your baby's cord blood only if a family member already has one of these illnesses. You might consider donating the cord blood to a public bank instead.

You probably won't be able to use the blood, but it could be used for research or for another child. Private cord blood banking is expensive. If you want to save the cord blood, you must arrange for it ahead of time. It is not a decision you can make at the last minute. Collecting the cord blood does not cause pain. What is umbilical cord blood? What is cord blood banking? How much does it cost? Some private blood banks will waive their fees for families who need the stem cells right away.

What other things should you consider? It is very unlikely that anyone in your family will ever need your baby's cord blood. Learning that your child is likely to develop a serious disease can be scary or depressing. This information may also affect your relationships with other family members. If your child tests positive for a gene that will cause a disease, you may decide to use treatment, if available, to prevent the disease or to make it less severe.

Although many treatments work well, others may be unproved or may even be dangerous. Why might your doctor recommend banking your baby's cord blood? Your doctor might recommend privately banking your baby's umbilical cord blood if: You have another child who has a disease that could be treated with a stem cell transplant. Compare your options. Compare Option 1 Bank cord blood Don't bank cord blood.

Compare Option 2 Bank cord blood Don't bank cord blood. Bank cord blood Bank cord blood Long before birth, you arrange to bank your baby's cord blood. A cord blood bank freezes the cord blood for storage. Cord blood in a private bank could be used for a sibling who has an illness that can be treated with cord blood from a baby brother or sister. Giving the blood to a public cord blood bank could help research or some other child who needs it.

Private cord blood banking costs a lot. Cord blood is tested for diseases. You could find out about a gene that may one day give your child a disease. This news could affect your child's future. Don't bank cord blood Don't bank cord blood The umbilical cord is thrown away after birth. You save money by not putting blood in a private cord blood bank. Your child could later get an illness that could have been treated with a stem cell transplant.

But experts say the chance that a child will need a transplant of his or her own cells is very small. Personal stories about cord blood banking These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. What matters most to you? Reasons to bank your baby's cord blood Reasons not to bank your baby's cord blood.

The cost of putting the cord blood in a private bank worries me. Cord blood donation is not available in my community. We don't plan to have any more children. My other important reasons: My other important reasons:.

Where are you leaning now? Banking my baby's cord blood NOT banking my baby's cord blood. What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts. True Sorry, that's not right. Doctors do not recommend that you privately bank cord blood on the slight chance that your baby will have a disease that could be treated with stem cells.

False You're right. I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "What other things should you consider? True You're right. You have to arrange ahead of time to bank or donate your baby's cord blood. It is not a decision you can make at the last minute before or during your baby's birth. False Sorry, that's not right. I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "Key points to remember.