Cord Blood
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Related keywords : Cord Blood Banking, Umbilical Cord Blood, Cord Blood Donation, Cord Blood Registry, Umbilical Cord Stem Cells, Cord Blood Storage, Cord Blood Banks, Cord Blood Research, Donating Cord Blood, Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Research
Amidst the recent political debate regarding stem cell research, the importance of having access to this resource, for medical and research purposes, has gotten lost in the shuffle. Human stem cells have provided treatment for several different kinds of cancers and research is now being undertaken that may demonstrate the ability of stem cells to cure other diseases as well.
Stem cells found in human bone marrow have been used for years to treat diseases such as Leukemia, Lymphoma, Anemia, and Hodgkin's disease, in addition to inherited diseases like Sickle Cell Disease and Tay Sachs Disease. Stem cells are have been successfully used to treat more than 45 different types of diseases! These cells are viable for research and treatment purposes, but there is a stark difference between the stem cells harvested from human bone marrow and the stem cells found in embryonic and fetal cord blood.
The stem cells that are harvested from embryonic and fetal stem cell sources contain what are known as "young" stem cells. Compared to the stem cells that are harvested from bone marrow, called "adult" stem cells, embryonic and cord blood stem cells are known to possess qualities that enable them to adapt and change more easily.
The difference between the two has elicited much excitement in the realm of medical research. The least controversial resource for cord blood stem cells is umbilical cord blood. When an infant is born, the umbilical cord and placenta have traditionally been discarded as medical waste.
Cord Blood can be easily harvested and stored in one of the several cord blood banks now available. The harvesting of cord blood takes place after an infant has been delivered but before the delivery of the placenta. There are two methods for collecting cord blood. Cord blood can be collected via the syringe method, where blood is drawn into a syringe after the umbilical cord has been tied off.
Cord blood can also be collected via the gravity bag method, where the cord blood is allowed to drain into a collection bag much like the process of blood donation. The collection of cord blood is a process that causes no harm to the mother or the newborn infant. Collection is a non invasive process and does not expose the infant or the mother to any discomfort whatsoever. Cord blood is collected by the physician or nurse midwife who is the attending medical professional at the birth of the newborn.
Cord blood is now collected and banked for several important purposes. Banking can be performed at a donor collection site or at a private cord blood bank. Since cord blood is an exact genetic match to the infant to whom it once belonged, any stem cell treatment that may be needed by that infant, either as a child or as an adult, can be performed via the stored cord blood sample. Additionally, since the cord blood is a close genetic match to the parents or siblings of the child from whom the sample was collected, the stem cells contained in the sample can be used for the treatment of close family members. Additionally, as discussed above, since the young stem cells contained in cord blood adapt easily to a new environment, these cells have been successfully used to treat individuals who are completely unrelated to the donor.
There are still instances where bone marrow stem cells are the preferred treatment method, but with the increased availability of cord blood stem cells, medical professionals and their patients can choose from either method.
The viability of the stem cells contained in the cord blood depends upon several factors. Generally, the larger the sample of cord blood collected, the larger the population of stem cells contained in the sample. Larger samples ensure an appropriate amount of stem cells for desired treatment. Some cord blood banking sites have noted that cord blood collected with the syringe method produces a larger sample than cord blood collected via the gravity bag collection method. And some cord blood banks will not bank a sample that is under a certain amount. The viability of stem cells contained in cord blood also depends upon the handling of the sample after collection. Once parents decide to bank the stem cells of their infant child and have contracted with a cord blood bank, they receive a collection kit. After the cord blood is collected by the attending physician or nurse midwife, the sample is entrusted to an individual that the parents have designated. The cord blood sample is then shipped to the cord blood bank via courier. Because most people are familiar with the transportation of organs for transplant, one often assumes that cord blood is treated in much the same way.
However, cord blood needs to be maintained at room temperature. Cord blood should not be frozen, refrigerated, or stored under conditions of excessively high heat. Once the cord blood is transported to the cord blood bank, it is processed and stored following the policies of that particular cord blood bank.
The stem cells contained in umbilical cord blood are a resource without parallel for the medical community and the patient's it serves. The donation and storage of cord blood is an option that may save the lives of countless individuals.
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