Cord Blood Storage

For years, and years, people have been throwing away their newborn’s umbilical cord, but today, the blood from the cord can be stored to save lives. Stem cell storage, or more commonly known as cord blood storage, is reshaping science and medicine as we know it.

Funding for studies on stem cells has been dramatically growing as more and more benefits of stem cell therapy are being discovered. The origins of the human body’s organs and tissues are the humble stem cell, and that is why more and more cord blood banks are arising.

Stem cells from the baby’s umbilical cord have to potential to transform or specialize into other cell types, such as liver cells, red blood cells and more. These specialized cells can then be transplanted to sick people. Cord blood storage is simply the process of storing the blood from the newborn’s umbilical cord through cryopreservation using liquid nitrogen. Through this, the stem cells within the cord blood will be preserved for many years and ready for access when you need it.

Cord Blood Storage Benefits

Current studies about stem cell therapy has revealed that stem cells have the potential to treat cancer, ischemic heart disease, burns, bone fractures, spinal cord lesions, bone fractures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and the list just goes on. Presently stem cells have been widely used in the treatment of leukemia, sickle cell disease and other life threatening conditions.

Some organizations argue that there is only a very slim chance that a baby will benefit from this technology; however there is a huge potential for stem cell therapy and advances in medicine are all pointing to harnessing this potential.

Expectant parents who take interest in the potential benefits of cord blood storage will be pleased to know that they are still being discovered. If your family has a known risk factor for diseases that can be cured, or even just the possibility of being cured, by stem cell therapy, storing cord blood is an option you should look in to.

Cord blood storage is a non-invasive and painless procedure and already has multiple proven advantages. Moreover, numerous clinical trials for common diseases are already underway and proven therapeutic applications are increasing. If you have the resources to venture into this life-changing opportunity, by all means, do so. You can choose to have your baby’s cord blood stored in a private cord blood bank or donate it to a public cord blood bank and help patients in dire need of treatment for a life threatening disease.