Why Bank Cord Blood??

Much attention has been focused recently around the world in the role of stem cells 

in the potential treatment of disease conditions. In the foreseeable future, 

it may be possible to use stem cells to rebuild or regenerate damaged 

or diseased tissues and organs. At present, stem cells are being used primarily 

to replace bone marrow depleted or destroyed by disease or chemotherapy.

Collecting Cord Blood offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain stem cells. 

Cord blood can only be collected during birth. It will no longer available after 

the placenta is delivered. What are the importances of storing stem cells from cord blood?

1.	Protect your family
	Many expectant parents are storing their baby’s cord blood for their family  as “biological insurance” in knowing these precious stem cells may someday  be useful for their children, themselves or other family members.
2.	Painless, Non-Invasive, and Risk-Free Retrieval
	Technically a simple collection process which takes only a few minutes  and collected safely without maternal or neonatal risk following delivery.
3.	Family Medical History
	Families with medical history of developing diseases that are potentially  treatable with stem cell transplants, including diseases such as leukemia  and immune system disorders.1 The highest probability for a transplant  match is from a related donor. In addition, the transplant success rate of  related donors is double that of unrelated donors.2
4.	Compatibility and Accessibility
	Finding a compatible cord blood unit remains an important consideration for patients.  Locating a suitable match from public registries can be difficult and is often time-consuming.  In fact, more than 30% of patients requiring transplant therapy are  unable to find a suitable match.3  The statistical likelihood of finding a suitable donor decreases for children of ethnic  or racial minorities or adopted children. For these families, private cord blood banking  improves the likelihood that a suitable transplant will be immediately available.  Otherwise, without a privately banked unit, a search could take months  and still be unsuccessful.
5.	Immediate Availability for Clinical Use
	The stem cells are ready for use after thawing, hence eliminating the hassle of searching  for a matching donor’s stem cells.
6.	Lower Collection Fee
	Significantly lower cost compared to bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow transplant.
7.	100% Perfect Match
	The baby’s cord blood stem cells guarantee a perfect match for the baby  and can potentially match with their siblings and parents.
8.	Less stringent HLA (human leukocyte antigen) matching is  required for use in transplantation as compared to bone marrow.
9.	Low Rejection
	low chances of life threatening Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) after  transplantation.

1. Hayani A. et al. First Report of Autologous Cord Blood Transplantation in the Treatment of a Child with Leukemia. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 2007:296-300
2. Gluckman, E. et al. Outcome of cord-blood transplantation from related and unrelated donors. Eurocord Transplant Group and the European Blood and Marrow Transplantation Group. 1997 Aug 7;337(6):373-81
3. Wagner, J., et al: Blood 2000 (5):1611-1618

What Is Cord Blood??

Umbilical cords do more than mark the future site of a baby’s belly button.They are the unborn baby’s lifeline, providing a connection to the placenta, from which come the oxygen and nutrients needed to survive. Umbilical cord blood (often called cord blood) is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after the baby is born and the cord is cut.Cord blood usually is discarded along with the umbilical cord and placenta.Cord blood is rich in versatile stem cells and can be stored for future use.Umbilical cord blood banking consists of the collection, processing, and cryopreservation of cord blood stem cells.Experts have found that newborn stem cells will not “expire” if properly processed and stored.In fact, research indicates that these cells can be stored indefinitely.1 The oldest cord blood unit to be successfully thawed to date was 15 years old.2When these cord blood stem cells are processed and stored, the cells are not only a perfect match for the baby, but it could also provide life saving benefits for siblings and other family members.