What is cord blood?
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of your baby. This blood is rich in stem cells and other unique cells. Stem cells are immature cells that can reproduce themselves and potentially convert into other types of cells. The cells also have an important role in immune function.
What is cord blood banking?
Cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing cord blood for potential future use. The collection process is quick and painless for both mother and baby, and is performed by a trained collector, obstetrician or midwife. The cord blood is stored in optimum conditions to ensure safe long-term preservation. In family banking the blood can become available should your child or someone in your family become ill.
The only time cord blood and tissue stems cells can be collected is at birth.
Why collect cord blood and tissue stem cells?
Cord blood has been used in over 40,000 transplants worldwide in the treatment of more than 80 different conditions. Stored cord blood is currently being used in stem cell transfusions in place of bone marrow transplants for many life threatening conditions, such as blood cancers (e.g. leukaemia), immune system and metabolic disorders.
Further research is being conducted on the impact of cord blood and tissue cells in the treatment of a range of conditions including autism, type 1 diabetes, stroke, heart failure, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s, cerebral palsy and congenital hearing loss.
What Are the Benefits?
The major advantage to storing your child’s cord blood is that it is the ‘perfect match’ for them – no other source of stem cells can provide this guarantee.
Your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells are a perfect match for your child.
The closer the match, the greater the likelihood of the body accepting the transplant.
Other advantages include:
Collection is simple and painless for both mother and baby
Once stored it is available immediately for treatment
There is no need to locate a compatible donor
No invasive procedures are required to use it (harvesting bone marrow from a sibling is invasive)
Your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells are a perfect match for your child, and are more likely to be a match for siblings and family members than an unrelated donor
More Information:
For more information on storing you baby’s cord blood and tissue stem cells, please contact Cell Care:
Website: www.cellcare.com.au
Phone: 1800 071 075
Email: info@cellcare.com.au