All About Cord Blood Banking

Not everyone will know what cord blood banking is about, and what it can be used for. The purpose of this article is to provide you with some simple facts. The first fact is that this is the blood from a baby's umbilical cord once the cord has been cut. It provides a one off opportunity to harvest stem cells that have proven beneficial in treating some type of medical conditions.

When a baby is born, the parents have the option to request that the healthy stem cells are harvested. The blood cells can be saved for future medical use. Alternatively, parents who choose not to bank the baby's cells can be reassured that it will be destroyed in an appropriate manner.

If the collection of these cells is required the procedure is carried out immediately after the birth. Once the umbilical cord is cut any blood left in the cord it is drained into a collection bag. This procedure is considered to be entirely safe and does not cause any discomfort to mother or baby. It is a viable procedure following any birth method.

After collection of the healthy stem cells, the package is immediately sent to a CBRs laboratory. The vital liquid supply goes through a process which freezes it and makes it ready for storage. The frozen vital liquid is then stored in cryogenic storage tanks and remains viable for long term preservation until they are required.

These types of stem cells have to date been used in treating cancer patients. They are given the stem cells to help them to produce healthy blood and immune cells. There is ongoing research into the possibility of treating other potentially fatal diseases and conditions. That includes conditions such as brain injuries and childhood diabetes. These are only a few of the medical treatments, and your medical practitioner will be able to provide you with more detailed information.

There are many misconceptions about the use of these stem cells, so it is always best to do some research before your baby is born. Discuss your options with your medical professionals and read carefully all the information they can provide you with. If you go on the internet to carry out some research on your own, be careful to use only reputable and professional information sources.

Medical research and studies into the use of stem cells and this type of banking are ongoing. As with all types of treatments, researchers are persistently looking for new ways to treat and perhaps cure crippling and often fatal conditions. Stem cell research is only one of the ways they can do this.

It can be a very emotive and sometimes difficult decision for a parent to make. There may be cultural, religious or financial reasons why parents choose not to sign up for cord blood banking. There is a huge gap in public awareness on this subject that will need to be addressed by the medical profession. Ethics and standards will need to be much more transparent to increase the uptake of this task.

Located at Toronto General Hospital, we are a Cord blood stem cells clinic experienced in Cord blood banking and cord blood banking.