Umbilical cord blood banking, and the medical advantages it may provide, are often talked about among prospective parents. In certain situations, banked cells may provide crucial assistance; for instance, if the child or close relative develops certain diseases, banked cells may provide life-saving treatment. The banking procedure is painless and simple, especially when considering all of the benefits it may provide.
Forty years ago, scientists discovered blood-forming stem cells in the umbilical cord. When scientists discovered the cells, they also discovered that the blood-forming stem cells, or hematopoietic cells, were the same cells provided by bone marrow donors. Doctors have utilized hematopoietic cells to cure lymphomas, leukemia, immunodeficiencies, and anemias. When parents learn about these benefits, they often decide to bank their baby's cells, in case the family has future need.
Parents must purchase kits before birth occurs. Also, parents should discuss the procedure with an obstetrician, to ensure the proper preservation of cells. After birth, the obstetrician will clamp and cut the cord, extracting blood from both the large vessels of the placenta and the umbilical vein. After being placed in syringes or bags, the cells are transported to a banking center, where technicians cryogenically freeze them.
Most transplants of umbilical cells benefit the child, or a close relative. An autologous transplant is a transplant of a patient's own cells, while an allogeneic transplant is a transplant of donor cells. Every patient who undergoes autologous transplant stands the chance of developing the same disease again, and allogeneic infusions, to their credit, do not require a perfect genetic match.
Transplants usually succeed with young patients. Because doctors collect only a small number of hematopoietic cells after birth, transplantation will only benefit young adults and children who are under 115 pounds. For adult patients, the amount of collected stem cells is insufficient to provide adequate treatment for leukemia or other diseases.
Parents will pay an up-front installment, plus a yearly storage fee. Doctors state that donations of hematopoietic cells from anonymous donors tend to be just as successful as donated cells from family members. Therefore, parents should understand that they may be spending a significant amount, for a procedure that may not be necessary, especially since the benefits become nonexistent after adulthood.
Banking hematopoietic cells is recommended for certain families. Families with members who have a history of certain diseases, which are treatable with bone marrow transplants, are the best candidates for banking. In other instances, families may donate cells to hospital-run banks, which are not plentiful, but are growing in number. The American Red Cross will provide guidance for how best to proceed with donating these valuable cells.
Parents live in terror that some unforeseeable circumstance, like a life-threatening illness, will befall their children. Bone marrow transplants may be both complicated and debilitating, where stem cell transplants are simpler, and provide the same level of treatment. For families who suffer from a long history of disease, umbilical cord blood provides a lifeline of hope in a difficult situation.
Forty years ago, scientists discovered blood-forming stem cells in the umbilical cord. When scientists discovered the cells, they also discovered that the blood-forming stem cells, or hematopoietic cells, were the same cells provided by bone marrow donors. Doctors have utilized hematopoietic cells to cure lymphomas, leukemia, immunodeficiencies, and anemias. When parents learn about these benefits, they often decide to bank their baby's cells, in case the family has future need.
Parents must purchase kits before birth occurs. Also, parents should discuss the procedure with an obstetrician, to ensure the proper preservation of cells. After birth, the obstetrician will clamp and cut the cord, extracting blood from both the large vessels of the placenta and the umbilical vein. After being placed in syringes or bags, the cells are transported to a banking center, where technicians cryogenically freeze them.
Most transplants of umbilical cells benefit the child, or a close relative. An autologous transplant is a transplant of a patient's own cells, while an allogeneic transplant is a transplant of donor cells. Every patient who undergoes autologous transplant stands the chance of developing the same disease again, and allogeneic infusions, to their credit, do not require a perfect genetic match.
Transplants usually succeed with young patients. Because doctors collect only a small number of hematopoietic cells after birth, transplantation will only benefit young adults and children who are under 115 pounds. For adult patients, the amount of collected stem cells is insufficient to provide adequate treatment for leukemia or other diseases.
Parents will pay an up-front installment, plus a yearly storage fee. Doctors state that donations of hematopoietic cells from anonymous donors tend to be just as successful as donated cells from family members. Therefore, parents should understand that they may be spending a significant amount, for a procedure that may not be necessary, especially since the benefits become nonexistent after adulthood.
Banking hematopoietic cells is recommended for certain families. Families with members who have a history of certain diseases, which are treatable with bone marrow transplants, are the best candidates for banking. In other instances, families may donate cells to hospital-run banks, which are not plentiful, but are growing in number. The American Red Cross will provide guidance for how best to proceed with donating these valuable cells.
Parents live in terror that some unforeseeable circumstance, like a life-threatening illness, will befall their children. Bone marrow transplants may be both complicated and debilitating, where stem cell transplants are simpler, and provide the same level of treatment. For families who suffer from a long history of disease, umbilical cord blood provides a lifeline of hope in a difficult situation.
About the Author:
Located at Toronto General Hospital, we are a Cord blood clinic experienced in Cord blood banking and cord blood storage.
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