In the past decade, most new parents have been given a choice of banking their baby’s cord blood or donating it to a public storage bank.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that is available when your baby is born and before the umbilical cord is discarded.  Collecting cord blood from the umbilical cord is a five minute procedure and will not hurt the mother or more importantly, the baby.   Umbilical cord blood stem cells are now being used to treat many malignant and non-malignant diseases and new uses for stem cells are being discovered everyday!

A lot of people ask why they should preserve cord blood and the answer is simple.  As most women are aware, during pregnancy the umbilical cord is the lifeline between mothers and their unborn babies.  Most of the time, after the delivery the umbilical cord is cut and then discarded.  The stem cells that are in the cord blood are also discarded.   These stem cells are an exact genetic match for the child.  If you were to preserve them, you would be guaranteeing your child a source of perfectly matched stem cells in the event that they were to develop a life threatening disease that could be treated using these cells.

Stem cells are used to treat a variety of diseases such as leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, along with other cancers, blood diseases and some immune system disorders.  Researchers are striving to make stem cell transplants of use in fighting AIDS, Lupus, lung cancer and Multiple Sclerosis. The reason why they are so valuable is that stem cells have been known as the building blocks of blood and the immune system and also other tissues in our bodies.   They can also transform into other cell types such as red blood cells and white blood cells and platelets.  This is what makes them so valuable.   They can replace other cells in our body that are abnormal, weakened or ruined by disease. In fact one of the main uses of stem cells is to replace abnormal bone marrow cells.

To date, approximately 8,000 people worldwide have received medical therapies using the stem cells saved from a newborn’s umbilical cord during cord blood storage. Among the diseases treated: leukemia, breast cancer, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, Aplastic Anemia, Sickle Cell Anemia, various other cancers, blood diseases, hereditary/genetic conditions and immune system disorders.

The process of cord blood storage is very simple – just after the birth of a newborn the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Blood is drawn from the cord and stored in a sterile environment until it can be transferred to a cord blood storage facility. The stem cells from that blood can eventually be utilized (after testing and matching) in rebuilding the blood or immune systems.

Historical Benchmarks in Cord Blood Storage

By participating in cord blood storage you and your child contribute to a rich history of life saving events.

1983 – First proposal of the concept of using umbilical cord blood as an alternative source of stem cells for transplant. The basic function of cord blood stem cells is similar to bone marrow cells, though cord blood cells are viewed as more versatile because a perfect tissue match between donor and recipient is not necessary.

1988 – First successful cord blood transplant to regenerate blood and immune cells in Paris, France, on a six-year old boy suffering from Fanconi’s Anemia, a blood disorder.

1992 – The New York Blood Center established the first cord blood storage facility through funding provided by the National Institutes of Health.

1993 – First cord blood transplant takes place between a donor and recipient not related to one another.

1995 – First family cord blood storage facility opens.

1998 – 12-year old was the first successful transplant patient to benefit from using cord blood storage to cure sickle cell anemia. According to the National Cord Blood Program, one year after transplant, Keone was cured.

2004 – Health and Human Services Appropriations Act for Fiscal year 2004 provides funds to create a national cord blood storage program.

2004 – Illinois becomes first state to enact legislation to mandate that birthing women have the option to donate their baby’s umbilical cord blood to a public cord blood storage facility at no cost.

2006 – More than 8,000 cord blood transplants have been performed worldwide.

Moving Forward in Cord Blood Storage

In just 20 years the medical field has made incredible strides in treating life-threatening diseases, and in the case of cord blood stem cells the advances have been incredible. It is proven to be a safe procedure, and one of low-risk/high reward for the recipients. Stem cell storage continues to be a vital part of these advances and we look forward to what the future brings as more expectant moms opt for cord blood storage.

Collecting cord blood stem cells has become a common practice in modern medicine and can be addressed by the OBGYN as the expectant mom during the first trimester of pregnancy. If you’re an expectant mom, undoubtedly health and wellness for you and baby are at the very top of your priority list, as it should be. When thinking about talking to your doctor or midwife about collecting cord blood stem cells, it’s understandable that you have many details on your mind. However, the life saving process of collecting cord blood stem cells is one of the most important contributions you and your baby can make to your family.

The Ease of Collecting Cord Blood Stem Cells

First off – what does collecting cord blood stem cells entail? At the time of birth there is a golden opportunity to capture and harvest one of the human body’s truly restorative assets – stem cells from the umbilical cord blood. This blood has a particularly high density of a special type of blood cell, known as a hematopoietic cell, and in fact millions of cells are gathered in just 75 milliliters (about 1/3 of a cup), which is the average draw from the umbilical cord. This blood is transported to a lab and is frozen to the temperature of -190 degrees. These rich blood cells are frozen immediately in a cryogenic state.

If you are getting a little uncomfortable at the thought of an additional procedure, relax. Collecting cord blood stem cells is a painless process, and one that doesn’t interrupt or interfere with the baby’s delivery in any way. So take a moment to consider additional details about why collecting cord blood stem cells is such a life enhancing procedure.

What are stem cells?

In short, stem cells are the key components within the body for generating all other tissues, organs and systems in the body. Isn’t that remarkable? Stem cells in cord blood are the building blocks of the blood coursing through our veins and immune system. These cells are highly adaptable and can readily replicate into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. That’s why collecting cord blood stem cells is so vital.

Red blood cells are important because they carry oxygen to all the cells in the body; white blood cells are responsible for fighting infection; and platelets aid in clotting when you’re injured. With these prime components set aside for use at a later time, doctors (using stem cells) are able to help the body recover from diseases like leukemia, breast cancer, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Disease, Aplastic Anemia, Sickle Cell Anemia, various cancers, blood diseases, hereditary/genetic conditions and immune system disorders.

Important key points to remember concerning collecting cord blood stem cells, are first, the process of collecting cord blood stem cells is simple, second, the stem cells are key ingredients for generating all other tissues, organs and systems in the body; and third, their use is valuable in treating a litany of diseases.

With all the excitement over a new pregnancy, parents reading a pamphlet on cord blood storage may not be as high on their list as, say, decorating the nursery. However, cord blood storage, also know as stem cell preservation, marks one of the most exciting ways that the new life about to enter the world will impact those around it. New parents have a chance to use cord blood storage to save lives.

Since 1990, doctors have used the ability to gather and preserve some of the ultra-rich stem cells that thrive in the blood of a newborn’s umbilical cord. The process known as cord blood storage is quite simply getting umbilical blood to a lab after drawing it from the severed umbilical cord at birth and putting it in to a deep freeze. The cord blood storage, or cryogenic process is so effective that cells remain viable for more than 20 years and may show minimal deterioration.

The “good part” of the cord blood storage story

Stem cells are among the most dynamic and adaptable cells in the entire body, and they can be found in a baby’s umbilical cord blood. Once retrieved from cord blood storage (the state of being cryogenically frozen), the cells may be utilized in a number of ways.

Currently, stem cells are most commonly utilized in transplant medicine to regenerate a patient’s blood and immune system after the patient has been treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation to destroy cancer cells. The list of diseases where stem cells can assist with the healing process is lengthy, and supports the value of cord blood storage a many times over. The list includes leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, Aplastic Anemia, Sickle Cell Anemia, various other cancers, blood diseases, hereditary/genetic conditions and immune system disorders. In addition, current research holds significant promise for improving the treatment of some of the most common diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s with the stem cells preserved during cord blood storage.

If you’re pregnant or have had a baby within the past decade, you have likely read all of the advertisements encouraging storing your baby’s umbilical cord blood in public and private banks as an insurance policy against future disease and illness. And like some parents, you probably passed up the opportunity. While cord blood banking has proven its worth in the health and science fields, parents are sometimes likely to pass than to jump on the chance to bank their baby’s cord blood.

Why? More than 90% of families do not have access to a public cord blood bank and private banks are costly. Other factors may affect the ability of parents to bank their baby’s cord blood. Families with risk factors such as maternal exposure to viruses, tattoos, and recent international travel may find that their donations are not accepted by public banks. In fact, only 30% of donated cord blood actually ends up in a bank due to eligibility requirements.

This is unfortunate because the benefits of cord blood banking are real and evident. The following statistics will show you just how important cord blood banking and stem cell research are for the future:

• Thousands of stem cell transplants are performed every year to treat diseases such as lymphoma, myeloma, leukemia and tumors.
• Some reports say there is a 1 in 200 chance that your baby or another family member will benefit from banking your baby’s blood.
• Cancer research is dependent on an abundant supply of stem cells. It is here that a cure for cancer may be found.
• One in 630 children will be diagnosed with cancer before they reach the age of fifteen.
• Cancer rates continue to rise and there is no end in sight.

Cord blood banking offers hope for families facing cancer and other diseases. While most families do not underestimate the benefits of cord blood banking, they may fail to bank their baby’s blood because they lack the resources to do so. In fact, many donations are turned away because blood banks are at their maximum capacity. Private banks are an option, but many families feel they cannot afford this expense.

To fix this problem, more funding is needed to expand cord blood banking resources. As research and funding expands, there will likely be more uses found for cord blood. There are already studies that show that stem cells can be used to grow neural tissue which can repair brain damage. This is very exciting news for the medical community and for those facing these and other life altering illnesses.