December 6 , 2005
FEATURESSaving cord blood may cure diseases
Advancements in stem cell research are happening everyday. The most popular to date is cord blood research.
According to Cord Blood Registry, cord blood, which is also called “placental blood,” is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following birth and is routinely discarded with the placenta and umbilical cord.
Cord blood contains a rich source of stem cells, which are genetically unique to the newborn and family.
If expecting parents choose to save their newborn’s cord blood at birth, research shows that there are chances of it curing diseases in the future.
CBR explains there is a 50 percent chance for cord blood to help the baby’s mother and a slightly lesser percentage for a sibling, if there was a need for a transplant.
Although cord blood seems to be a recent medical focal point, researchers have been working on this topic for the better part of two decades.
To date, CBR reports children and adults have used umbilical cord blood in more than 2,500 transplants.
In December of 2004, a woman who had been paralyzed for 20 years received a cord blood transplant.
Within weeks, her muscles responded and she began the road to recovery. A successful transplant is rare among minorities and people of mixed ethnicity.
“Successful cases are rare. The jury is still out on new successful advances with cord blood,” said Myrna Eshelman, the chair of the nursing department.
According to medical professionals at CBR, stem cells are the baby’s strongest cells because they give rise to all of the other tissues, organs, and systems in the body.
Stem cell’s capability to transition into other types of cells in the body is a new discovery that holds promise for treating and curing heart disease, cancers, stroke, and Alzheimer’s.
The immune cells in cord blood are younger and more likely to be a suitable match for a family member.
Expecting parents have only one chance to save their child’s cord blood so they have to be confident of their decision early on.
CBR advises that the risk free, five minute procedure be done immediately following birth.
Cord blood can be collected in vaginal and cesarean deliveries for multiple births.
Expectant parents have the option of banking the cord blood in a public or private bank. The option to save a child’s cord blood is highly recommended by private banks such as CBR.
“If expecting parents want to save their child’s cord blood, they should first consult their doctor,” Eshelman said.
“Some new facilities are just out for money. I do not agree with some doctors who make you feel like you are bad parent if you do not save your child’s cord blood,” Eshelman said.
Corporations like CBR allow new mothers to register online to bank their child’s cord blood in their laboratory. However, there are fees attached.
Many facilities provide payment options because the procedure along with the banking can be quite expensive. At CBR, there is a $1,700 dollar processing and banking fee.
This fee includes the supplies required to collect the cord blood and propriety processing cell preparation process that includes testing to measure the sterility, viability and cell count.
In addition, there is a $125 annual storage fee.
“Some new families starting out do not have the money to bank their baby’s cord blood. If you have a history of “childhood leukemia, then I would recommend it,” Eshelman said.