Cord blood, also known as umbilical cord blood, is rich in hematopoietic stem cells. Cord blood is collected after the umbilical cord has been detached from the newborn, and utilized as a source of stem cells for transplantation.All of the cellular components of the blood including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are derived from hematopoietic stem cells.Beginning in the late 1980s, following a successful sibling-donor transplant, cord blood stem cells have been used to treat a number of blood and immune system related genetic diseases, cancers and disorders.Cord blood transplantation is considered by some in the industry to be Less Risky, Readily Accessible, More Effective and More Cost Efficient than Bone Marrow.Other points to consider are:
- Perfect match for the child; siblings have a 25% chance of being an exact match. Parents and relatives are a potential partial match.
- Less Stringent HLA matching required for use in transplantation.
- Lower incidence of Graft-Versus-Host-Disease (GVHD) after transplantation.
- Cord blood collection is simple, non-invasive, and is neither risky nor painful to mother and child.
- Stored samples are immediately available when needed.
No longer a biological waste product!!!
“Today, stem cells are being used to treat nearly 70 blood disorders; Tomorrow countless more.”
