When it comes to finding a donor for any medical issue, there are a number of problems and concerns. In most instances, individuals cannot find a proper match for their specific needs, leaving them unable to have a transplant. This is especially true with adoptive children who may not have biological siblings or other family members to check for matches, children without siblings or family members, and individuals of certain races or ethnicities that may not have access to other individuals of their race or ethnicity in their area. Even after a match is found, it is not guaranteed that the transplant will be a success, since the human body is conditioned to repel anything it deems "foreign," even if the item will potentially save your life. Instead of having to worry about these concerns, imagine serving as your own donor, ensuring a perfect match every time and greatly diminishing the worry about rejection. For these many reasons, you may wish to bank cord blood.
According to the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood, cord blood is the blood that is found within the umbilical cord at birth. The umbilical cord serves as a lifeline between mother and child, allowing nutrients to pass to the child in the womb. Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, which have the potential to treat and cure a host of diseases, from cancer to Parkinson’s. The unique healing aspects of stem cells revolve around the fact that these cells have yet to be given a specific role to play in the human body. These indeterminate cells have the ability to become any type of cell that the body decides it needs, whether it will become a blood cell, bone cell, muscle cell, or any other cell imaginable, stem cells can transform into any cell most needed.
The reason why stem cells from cord blood work so well in transplants is because they take on the responsibility of the non-working cells they attempt to replace. For instance, in people suffering from leukemia, their body is no longer producing the appropriate number of white blood cells in their bone marrow. Before cord blood, leukemia patients must wait to find a bone marrow match and then undergo and transplant that may or may not work. Instead, the match is guaranteed, since the blood comes directly from your body, and the stem cells quickly translate into cells that will become properly working bone marrow to ensure production of white blood cells to fight the disease. Since stem cells can become any type of cells the body needs most, cord blood is used to treat and potentially cure numerous diseases and disorders, including sickle cell anemia and many forms of cancer, especially those affecting infants and children.
Since no donor is required, you do not have to suffer through the waiting period of seeing if a matching cord blood donor will be found. Treatment can begin immediately, allowing you a better chance for a complete recovery since the disease or disorder will not have taken a great hold on your body. Additionally, you can serve as a cord blood donor to your sick sibling using cord blood that is far more effective than anything else you can give to a brother or sister. Many parents choose to bank cord blood in order to treat another child who is experiencing problems—especially children battling childhood cancer. Since siblings are the best chance for a proper match for any type of transplant, cord blood works in many instances to save the life of an ill brother or sister.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Cord Blood Collection - Give Life Another Chance
The increasing popularity of cord blood collection all over the world is a very positive sign. What was regarded as a waste earlier is now considered most valuable after the delivery of the baby. Yes, I am referring to the umbilical cord blood and the placenta. It is the source of valuable stem cells that are required to cure dozens of diseases.
Some Basics
The collection process in itself is a very quick 15 minutes job. However, the cord blood registry process can take a lot of time. It is suggested that the parents-to-be register at the nearest bank at least three to four months ahead of the delivery date. This process is not just filling an application form; it includes an extensive series of medical tests to ensure that the mother-to-be’s blood is free from infectious diseases and genetic abnormalities. Once the donor clears the medical tests, the registration process is completed. The mother is given the collection kit which she needs to carry with her to the delivery center. She needs to inform the doctor about her plans well in advance in order to avoid any confusion in the labor room. After the delivery, the umbilical cord blood is extracted and stored in specialized packets provided and the bank is informed. The bank sends its representative to collect the blood and couriers it to the preservation center.
A point to be noted here is that there is a minimum amount of blood stipulated for successful preservation. If the amount is less, then the decision lies with the mother whether she wants to continue with the collection or donate it for research. If the situation so requires, the stem cells collected can be processed for immediate use by another patient.
Cord blood collection is an important decision as it could either be a lifesaver for your child and its siblings or it could turn out to be just an expense for the next twenty years. Either way, people who go in for preservation, prefer to look at it as a family insurance. Fifteen years down the line, if you feel that your children have grown up without any problems and are not likely to need the cord blood unit, you can choose to sell it off via the cord blood bank to a needy person.
Storing cord blood for the future emergency is not a bad idea at all. The cord blood collection process is a very quick job. However, the cord blood registry process can take a lot of time. Get more information on Cord blood by visiting the pregnancy period.
Some Basics
The collection process in itself is a very quick 15 minutes job. However, the cord blood registry process can take a lot of time. It is suggested that the parents-to-be register at the nearest bank at least three to four months ahead of the delivery date. This process is not just filling an application form; it includes an extensive series of medical tests to ensure that the mother-to-be’s blood is free from infectious diseases and genetic abnormalities. Once the donor clears the medical tests, the registration process is completed. The mother is given the collection kit which she needs to carry with her to the delivery center. She needs to inform the doctor about her plans well in advance in order to avoid any confusion in the labor room. After the delivery, the umbilical cord blood is extracted and stored in specialized packets provided and the bank is informed. The bank sends its representative to collect the blood and couriers it to the preservation center.
A point to be noted here is that there is a minimum amount of blood stipulated for successful preservation. If the amount is less, then the decision lies with the mother whether she wants to continue with the collection or donate it for research. If the situation so requires, the stem cells collected can be processed for immediate use by another patient.
Cord blood collection is an important decision as it could either be a lifesaver for your child and its siblings or it could turn out to be just an expense for the next twenty years. Either way, people who go in for preservation, prefer to look at it as a family insurance. Fifteen years down the line, if you feel that your children have grown up without any problems and are not likely to need the cord blood unit, you can choose to sell it off via the cord blood bank to a needy person.
Storing cord blood for the future emergency is not a bad idea at all. The cord blood collection process is a very quick job. However, the cord blood registry process can take a lot of time. Get more information on Cord blood by visiting the pregnancy period.
Cord blood usage in infant medicine
After collecting the cord blood in maximum 15 minutes after the baby is born, processing it is the following phase in order to be viable for further medical operations. The processing of cord blood includes specific steps, such as RBC depletion, shipping and the actual freezing. The freezing or, scientifically said, the cryopreservation is applied within 1 day after the actual collection and can be successfully preserved for indefinite years.
There are various pediatric solutions that include using the cord blood. The most major ones are the children cancers and blood diseases, including infant leukemia (juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia) or immune system disorders. All these are usually treated with chemotherapy, which, besides its benefic effects, also negatively affects some good cells. A significant cord blood usage in infant medicine is the marrow transplant. This procedure has the result of providing new and healthy blood cells, which leads to a safer immune system of the child. Besides these, there are some rare genetic diseases that require cord blood stem cells. Among these rare disorders, there is the fatal Krabbe Disease, which is characterized by causing severe degeneration of mental and motor skills of the child.
If receiving the stem cells from the umbilical cord before the actual manifestation of the symptoms, the brain development can be successfully preserved. Hurler Syndrome, Adrenoleukodystrophy, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease are also other rare and severe conditions that affect the infants and can be successfully treated if using the cord blood stems. Hurler’s Syndrome is a genetic and progressive disorder that results from the body’s incapacity to make a significant enzyme. The disease damages many organs and most importantly, it affects the heart and causes death in the early teens. The Sandoff disorder has a result the progressive deterioration of the central nervous system and, like the Krabble disease, it is fatal before the age of 3.
Cord blood is not used as a temporary solution in serious medical cases of infants. Cord blood actually provides a new and healthy blood structure that increases the safety of the immune system and prevents further imbalances.
There are various pediatric solutions that include using the cord blood. The most major ones are the children cancers and blood diseases, including infant leukemia (juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia) or immune system disorders. All these are usually treated with chemotherapy, which, besides its benefic effects, also negatively affects some good cells. A significant cord blood usage in infant medicine is the marrow transplant. This procedure has the result of providing new and healthy blood cells, which leads to a safer immune system of the child. Besides these, there are some rare genetic diseases that require cord blood stem cells. Among these rare disorders, there is the fatal Krabbe Disease, which is characterized by causing severe degeneration of mental and motor skills of the child.
If receiving the stem cells from the umbilical cord before the actual manifestation of the symptoms, the brain development can be successfully preserved. Hurler Syndrome, Adrenoleukodystrophy, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease are also other rare and severe conditions that affect the infants and can be successfully treated if using the cord blood stems. Hurler’s Syndrome is a genetic and progressive disorder that results from the body’s incapacity to make a significant enzyme. The disease damages many organs and most importantly, it affects the heart and causes death in the early teens. The Sandoff disorder has a result the progressive deterioration of the central nervous system and, like the Krabble disease, it is fatal before the age of 3.
Cord blood is not used as a temporary solution in serious medical cases of infants. Cord blood actually provides a new and healthy blood structure that increases the safety of the immune system and prevents further imbalances.
Cord Blood and its uses
Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of the child and is collected after the cord has been cut off. The umbilical cord is routinely discarded with the placenta after a child is born. It is also called placental blood. Cord blood has lots of blood producing stem cells which can be frozen and later used for transplants. Cord blood is genetically unique to the child and the family. Now researchers have found that it can be used to treat many diseases.
Cord blood is now used as an alternative to bone marrow transplant when in future if the child or his family is diagnosed with cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and other disorders of the blood-making system, such as sickle-cell anemia; severe immune-system disorders; and genetic defects affecting the blood-making system. Researchers are further studying the use of cord blood for the treatment of different types of diseases like arthritis, spinal cord damage, stroke diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, Purkinje cell degeneration, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, heart disease, and vision and hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease, burns osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
All stem cells—regardless of their source—have three general properties: they are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods; they are unspecialized; and they can give rise to specialized cell types. The cord blood contains blood-producing hematopoietic stem cells as well as mesenchymal stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells have the ability to generate: three major types of brain cells (neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes); skeletal muscle cells; cardiac muscle cells; and liver cells.
Mesenchymal stem cells can create various tissues in the body such as cartilage, bone, muscle, tendon, ligament and fat.
Cord blood transplants have become a strong alternative to bone marrow transplants. Cord blood is easier to collect than traditional bone marrow donation and it is not painful to extract, doesn’t require invasive surgery. It is extremely difficult to find a suitable donor for a marrow transplant because six HLAs, or human lymphocyte antigens, a group of proteins in bone marrow cells that can provoke an immune response, need to match or a perfect match is required. In cord blood transplant only three HLAs loci need to match. So in cord blood there is more opportunity for transplant to siblings, parents and grandparents. Cord blood has 10 times more blood-making cells concentrated in it than bone marrow.
Cord blood is now used as an alternative to bone marrow transplant when in future if the child or his family is diagnosed with cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and other disorders of the blood-making system, such as sickle-cell anemia; severe immune-system disorders; and genetic defects affecting the blood-making system. Researchers are further studying the use of cord blood for the treatment of different types of diseases like arthritis, spinal cord damage, stroke diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, Purkinje cell degeneration, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, heart disease, and vision and hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease, burns osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
All stem cells—regardless of their source—have three general properties: they are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods; they are unspecialized; and they can give rise to specialized cell types. The cord blood contains blood-producing hematopoietic stem cells as well as mesenchymal stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells have the ability to generate: three major types of brain cells (neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes); skeletal muscle cells; cardiac muscle cells; and liver cells.
Mesenchymal stem cells can create various tissues in the body such as cartilage, bone, muscle, tendon, ligament and fat.
Cord blood transplants have become a strong alternative to bone marrow transplants. Cord blood is easier to collect than traditional bone marrow donation and it is not painful to extract, doesn’t require invasive surgery. It is extremely difficult to find a suitable donor for a marrow transplant because six HLAs, or human lymphocyte antigens, a group of proteins in bone marrow cells that can provoke an immune response, need to match or a perfect match is required. In cord blood transplant only three HLAs loci need to match. So in cord blood there is more opportunity for transplant to siblings, parents and grandparents. Cord blood has 10 times more blood-making cells concentrated in it than bone marrow.
Cord Blood Banking
Cord blood banking is the process of collection, processing and storing of stem cells extracted from the placenta and the umbilical cord for future uses. The cord blood will then be available to your child or any of your family members later if they become sick. Cord blood banking can thus help in the treatment of life threatening diseases especially blood related diseases like leukemia and cancer. Cord blood collected can be transplanted in later years onto the child or his family member if any life threatening diseases arise.
Cord blood collection is a safe and painless procedure and can be done only once at birth. Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Collections are either by syringe method or by bag collection method. The cells should be processed and preserved within 48 hours. The cord blood then is tested to check the eligibility standards. Red blood cells and Plasma which are not needed for transplantation are removed. Cord blood is frozen in minus 200 degree centigrade and is stored in vinyl or plastic bag and frozen in liquid nitrogen. It is also stored in vials. Look for those banks which will store in multiple vials or bags and not in single vials or bags. It helps in treating many people rather than one. Cord Blood can be stored for up to 20 years.
There are three types of cord blood banks. One is family bank or also known as private cord blood bank and the other is public donor bank. Now a third type of bank has emerged which is public- private hybrid. Currently there are only two other hybrid banks in the country. In family banks cord blood is stored for your family’s personal use while in public donor banks for publics or non-related person’s use i.e. there is no guarantee that your child’s cord blood will be available to your child when it is needed. It can be donated for free. It is always advisable to select an accredited blood bank especially by AABB American Association of Blood Banks for Cord Blood Banking. Currently in 2006 the cost of private banking is around $600 to $2000 – a one time fee at the beginning and approximately $80 to $100 per year for maintenance. In hybrid banks the public side of the bank will accept the cord blood and will enter it to the national databank so that it will be available to anyone with a good genetic match. On the private side it will cover the cost like any private banks. Private banking is unlawful in France and Italy so doctors advice to donate it. It is also opposed by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies.
Cord blood banking is usually done by the parents so that they can be confident that if in future the need to transplant arises for the child the most perfect matching stem cells will be available. Fathers and siblings will have a 25% chance of matching cord blood stem cells. It can also be used for grandparents and cousins if it matches. If you or any one in your family already has any disease like sickle cell anemia, aplastic anemia, leukemia, thalassemia, metabolic storage disorders or certain genetic immunodeficiencies it is advisable to store your child’s cord blood. The chances that a child will need to use his stem cells are 1 in 2500. So some consider the money spend on it as waste.
Cord blood collection is a safe and painless procedure and can be done only once at birth. Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Collections are either by syringe method or by bag collection method. The cells should be processed and preserved within 48 hours. The cord blood then is tested to check the eligibility standards. Red blood cells and Plasma which are not needed for transplantation are removed. Cord blood is frozen in minus 200 degree centigrade and is stored in vinyl or plastic bag and frozen in liquid nitrogen. It is also stored in vials. Look for those banks which will store in multiple vials or bags and not in single vials or bags. It helps in treating many people rather than one. Cord Blood can be stored for up to 20 years.
There are three types of cord blood banks. One is family bank or also known as private cord blood bank and the other is public donor bank. Now a third type of bank has emerged which is public- private hybrid. Currently there are only two other hybrid banks in the country. In family banks cord blood is stored for your family’s personal use while in public donor banks for publics or non-related person’s use i.e. there is no guarantee that your child’s cord blood will be available to your child when it is needed. It can be donated for free. It is always advisable to select an accredited blood bank especially by AABB American Association of Blood Banks for Cord Blood Banking. Currently in 2006 the cost of private banking is around $600 to $2000 – a one time fee at the beginning and approximately $80 to $100 per year for maintenance. In hybrid banks the public side of the bank will accept the cord blood and will enter it to the national databank so that it will be available to anyone with a good genetic match. On the private side it will cover the cost like any private banks. Private banking is unlawful in France and Italy so doctors advice to donate it. It is also opposed by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies.
Cord blood banking is usually done by the parents so that they can be confident that if in future the need to transplant arises for the child the most perfect matching stem cells will be available. Fathers and siblings will have a 25% chance of matching cord blood stem cells. It can also be used for grandparents and cousins if it matches. If you or any one in your family already has any disease like sickle cell anemia, aplastic anemia, leukemia, thalassemia, metabolic storage disorders or certain genetic immunodeficiencies it is advisable to store your child’s cord blood. The chances that a child will need to use his stem cells are 1 in 2500. So some consider the money spend on it as waste.
Reasons For Donating Umbilical Cord Blood
Cord blood banking generated debates about the implications of donating against private storage of umbilical blood. Umbilical cord blood, a "miracle" in medical and scientific research, is found to contain stem cells which are highly valuable in treating blood-related diseases. Its "primitiveness" can regenerate whole immune systems necessary for curing chronic diseases like leukemia, anemia, and immune system disorders. Despite its many uses, there are limited donations made in public banks because of several reasons. Lack of equipment, incompetent information dissemination, and financial problems are common reasons. But other than these, the desire of parents to save their children's blood for familial use is a stronger reason. Most families are opting to keep stem cells as "medical insurance" in case one of them gets sick with a blood disease. If you are thinking about your options, recent studies prove that public storage is more beneficial to the donating family and others.
First, there is little chance that immediate members of the donating family can use the donated stem cells. Umbilical cord blood from the sick child himself is unsuitable for his use. The genetic materials that made the disease possible is also encoded in the blood cells. The parents also contain strains of these genetic materials which make them unsuitable candidates for the blood's use. Besides, stem cells harvested from umbilical blood are usually not enough to cure adults or persons weighing over a hundred pounds.
Second, if you do need umbilical blood, chances are higher that your match is in public stores rather than private storage. National Marrow Donor Program's Dennis Confer affirms that an exact match between a donor's umbilical blood and his sibling is pegged at only 25%, while exact matches from public stores is at 75%. He claims that the latter is higher if internationally-based cord blood banking systems are included.
Third, doctors often prefer umbilical blood procured through public banking systems. Unlike private storage, public banks have regulated and rigorous standards for umbilical cord blood preservation. They have standards on amount, sanitation, and trained, qualified staff. Private storage are just ordinary businesses - they aim for profit. They may limit the amount of harvested samples to make room for more, or hire less than qualified staff to lower manpower costs. By keeping umbilical blood in private stores, its quality is highly at risk.
Fourth, donating umbilical blood in public banks does not limit your access to it unless it was used. Public and government-regulated cord blood banking institutions give priority to donors if they need their donated blood. Also, there are very slim chances that your donated umbilical blood is used. Lawrence Petz from StemCyte - a top public/private umbilical blood bank - estimates that only 5% of banked donations are used.
Lastly, donating umbilical cord blood is more economical because it's free. Private banks charge as much as $2,000 for collection and registration, and another $100 yearly for storage. That's a lot of money for something you might not even use. But by donating umbilical blood to cord blood banking institutions, you are giving a chance at life to other people without expense on your part. You never know but the life your donated umbilical blood saves might be the your savior in the unforeseen future.
First, there is little chance that immediate members of the donating family can use the donated stem cells. Umbilical cord blood from the sick child himself is unsuitable for his use. The genetic materials that made the disease possible is also encoded in the blood cells. The parents also contain strains of these genetic materials which make them unsuitable candidates for the blood's use. Besides, stem cells harvested from umbilical blood are usually not enough to cure adults or persons weighing over a hundred pounds.
Second, if you do need umbilical blood, chances are higher that your match is in public stores rather than private storage. National Marrow Donor Program's Dennis Confer affirms that an exact match between a donor's umbilical blood and his sibling is pegged at only 25%, while exact matches from public stores is at 75%. He claims that the latter is higher if internationally-based cord blood banking systems are included.
Third, doctors often prefer umbilical blood procured through public banking systems. Unlike private storage, public banks have regulated and rigorous standards for umbilical cord blood preservation. They have standards on amount, sanitation, and trained, qualified staff. Private storage are just ordinary businesses - they aim for profit. They may limit the amount of harvested samples to make room for more, or hire less than qualified staff to lower manpower costs. By keeping umbilical blood in private stores, its quality is highly at risk.
Fourth, donating umbilical blood in public banks does not limit your access to it unless it was used. Public and government-regulated cord blood banking institutions give priority to donors if they need their donated blood. Also, there are very slim chances that your donated umbilical blood is used. Lawrence Petz from StemCyte - a top public/private umbilical blood bank - estimates that only 5% of banked donations are used.
Lastly, donating umbilical cord blood is more economical because it's free. Private banks charge as much as $2,000 for collection and registration, and another $100 yearly for storage. That's a lot of money for something you might not even use. But by donating umbilical blood to cord blood banking institutions, you are giving a chance at life to other people without expense on your part. You never know but the life your donated umbilical blood saves might be the your savior in the unforeseen future.
Donating Umbilical Cord Blood
Earlier after childbirth, the umbilical cord was thrown away as it is no longer needed for the baby. Now, instead of throwing away as a waste, it can be donated for public use. It is noteworthy that donating cord blood neither affects the mother nor the child. A healthy woman (18 years and older) who had a normal pregnancy and delivery can donate her child’s umbilical cord blood in public cord-blood banks. This can be used later for saving someone with a life-threatening disease.
If a woman has decided to donate cord blood, she needs to talk to the concerned physician and contact public cord-blood banks. If the concerned hospital has facilities for collecting public cord blood, then the public cord-blood bank will confirm whether she can donate or not based on the result of the blood test. If the blood test result is negative for infectious diseases, the concerned bank will give a consent letter in which the mother has to sign. After that further procedure of collecting and preserving cord blood is done and the cord blood is stored for public use.
If a woman has decided to donate cord blood, she needs to talk to the concerned physician and contact public cord-blood banks. If the concerned hospital has facilities for collecting public cord blood, then the public cord-blood bank will confirm whether she can donate or not based on the result of the blood test. If the blood test result is negative for infectious diseases, the concerned bank will give a consent letter in which the mother has to sign. After that further procedure of collecting and preserving cord blood is done and the cord blood is stored for public use.
Cord Blood Banking: Donating Umbilical Cord Blood
Umbilical cord is a flexible cord like structure that connects the developing fetus or embryo with the placenta. It consists of two umbilical arteries and one vein; umbilical vein is responsible for providing oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to the developing fetus and the umbilical arteries remove the deoxygenated, nutrient-depleted blood. An umbilical cord is about 50 cm long and has a diameter of about 2 cm.
Umbilical Cord Blood
In general, the umbilical cord is cut after a baby is born; however some amount of blood still remains in the placental blood vessels and its attached umbilical cord. This blood is called umbilical cord blood or placental blood or simply cord blood. About 180 ml of cord blood can be obtained at the time of childbirth.
Cord blood contains all the basic elements of blood such as red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), blood platelets and plasma. In addition, it contains blood-forming (hematopoietic) stem cells similar to the ones found in the bone marrow. They have the potential to develop into other types of cells of the body. Because of this important property of hematopoietic stem cells, cord blood is used for transplantation as an alternative to bone marrow.
Umbilical Cord Blood
In general, the umbilical cord is cut after a baby is born; however some amount of blood still remains in the placental blood vessels and its attached umbilical cord. This blood is called umbilical cord blood or placental blood or simply cord blood. About 180 ml of cord blood can be obtained at the time of childbirth.
Cord blood contains all the basic elements of blood such as red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), blood platelets and plasma. In addition, it contains blood-forming (hematopoietic) stem cells similar to the ones found in the bone marrow. They have the potential to develop into other types of cells of the body. Because of this important property of hematopoietic stem cells, cord blood is used for transplantation as an alternative to bone marrow.
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