After the birth of a baby, the umbilical cord is cut and in most cases is discarded along with the placenta. Until recently, most parents had no idea that the disposal of the umbilical cord and placenta meant the wastage of an invaluable resource that could one day save somebody’s life – perhaps even the baby’s life in years to come. However, more and more parents are now starting to realize the benefits of storing cord blood after the baby’s birth.

What exactly is cord blood?

Cord blood is found in the umbilical cord and the placenta after a baby is born, and presents the parents with a unique opportunity to possibly save another life in the future. The cord blood is rich with young stem cells, which can be effectively used to treat a number of diseases and illnesses. Stem cells are normally found in the bone marrow, but trying to find a suitable match in a bone marrow donor in a timely manner has often proven horrendously difficult, and in some cases impossible. Bone marrow stem cells also have an increased risk of rejection. However, the stem cells in cord blood are young and adaptable. They do not need to be an exact match like bone marrow, and therefore the chances of success re much higher and the chance of rejection is reduced.

What sort of diseases can be treated with cord blood stem cells?

Through the donation of cord blood it is hoped that cord blood stem cells will readily be available for anyone that required treatment for a number of diseases. This procedure has already been successfully used in treating disorders and diseases such as:

§         Cancers

§         Bone marrow abnormalities

§         Metabolism abnormalities

§         Immunodeficiency disorders

It is hoped that with increased awareness and continual donations, progressive research will prove that this method of treatment can be effective in many other disorders, many of which are seriously debilitating or potentially life-threatening.

How does donating/storing cord blood work?

There are two options available to parents that decide that they want to put their baby’s cord blood to valuable use. It can be donated, which costs nothing and could save the life of another person in the future. It can also be stored for exclusive use by the baby or the baby’s family in the future, should the need arise. There is a fee for this, but many parents see this as a type of health insurance cover that offers peace of mind. The chances of successful treatment using cord blood stem cells from a person in the same family are dramatically higher than the chances of success from using stem cells from an unrelated person.