How A Cord Blood Bank Preserves Your Life

The function of a cord blood bank is to preserve your child's cord blood for future use. The umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells which are the building blocks of our blood and tissues. These stem cells can renew themselves to form new cell types, like red and white blood cells, brain cells and muscle cells. The importance of these stem cells is that they can be used for transplantation to treat a large number of blood and immune system related diseases. As an expectant parent, one of the decisions you have to make is whether to store cord blood or not. I think the following information will help you decide in its favor.

The Importance Of Cord Blood In The World Of Medicine

Stem cells from cord blood are used to treat a number of diseases like leukemia, aplastic anemia, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, immune deficiency and multiple sclerosis. Some of these diseases are genetic and some occur due to viral attacks or injuries during your lifetime. The treatment is similar though. Stem cells are transplanted into the patient's body. These cells recreate blood cells which may have depleted, as in the case of cancers and anemia. They also help rebuild the immune system which may have weakened due to factors like chemotherapy or radiation. As you can see, cord blood plays an important role in treating many life threatening diseases.

Why Should I Store My Cord Blood?

I will give the answer to that question right now. If you have a family history of genetic diseases, you should store your child's cord blood. If you do so, you are ensuring that the cord blood is immediately available to you and your family for treatment, if and when required. You will not have to search or wait for a donor. You know that the cord blood will be a perfect match for your child. The problem of rejection by the body does not arise.

Cord blood storage is absolutely painless and harmless to you and your newborn. The blood is collected from the placenta after the baby is delivered and the cord has been detached from it. This blood is sent to a cord blood bank where it is screened for genetic diseases and its tissue type is determined. Red cells are removed and it is then preserved in the cord blood bank for future use.

There are two types of cord blood banks. A public cord blood bank is where you can donate cord blood to be used by anyone. A private bank is where you store cord blood to be used by yourself or your family for future treatment.

As you can see, there is a great need for cord blood banking as more and more diseases are being treated by cord blood stem cells. If you store your own blood in a private cord blood bank, for instance, you are assured of availing it immediately to treat your child, if the need arises. Therefore as an expectant parent, you should pledge to store your cord blood in a cord blood bank to ensure your child's healthy future.