Umbilical cord stem cells provide life-saving treatment for children

Umbilical cord stem cells provide life-saving treatment for children
(ARA) - When expectant parents imagine their children's future, chances are that a rare genetic disorder is not part of that picture. But that was the reality for Andres and Paulina Trevino of Boston. At 2 years old, their son, Andy, was diagnosed with a life-threatening immune disorder. By the age of 5, Andy had been in the hospital for 1,000 days and saw more than 300 doctors to help treat his disease. However, thanks to a treatment Andy received from his sister Sofia's umbilical cord blood stem cells, he is now thriving and healthier than ever. Inspired by his own son's medical journey, Andres penned a book entitled, "Andy & Sofia," documenting his family's personal story with this live-saving treatment.

Emerging scientific research on cord blood stem cells shows promise in filling treatment gaps for many children, like Andy, who face certain life-threatening conditions. Cord blood is a rich source of stem cells, which can become a treatment by repairing and/or replacing damaged cells in the body.

"Studies are finding new medical benefits of these stem cells every day and providing peace of mind to many families who choose to bank their children's cord blood stem cells," says Morey Kraus, chief scientific officer of ViaCord, a private family cord blood bank.

Several private cord blood banks collect and store the stem cells should a child ever need it. The collection is painless for the mother and baby and takes place immediately after birth. An obstetrician or midwife clamps the cord, then through the use of a blood-bag needle, the blood flows into a bag during a two- to four-minute process. After collection, the blood bag is sealed and couriered to a processing facility, where it is stored at a low temperature for preservation.

To date, cord blood stem cells have been used to treat nearly 80 life-threatening diseases, including cancers and leukemia, bone marrow failures, sickle-cell anemia and other genetic and blood disorders. Medical researchers are also exploring its uses for Type-1 diabetes, heart disease, sports injuries and other common, yet incurable conditions. These stem cells are showing more benefits than ever and parents are opting to bank their children's cord blood for its growing potential.

By storing one's cord blood stem cells privately, the individual is guaranteed a match should he or she ever needs a cord blood transplant. For expectant parents interested in storing the stem cells, there are options to bank publicly or privately. Private cord blood banks store the stem cells for the families' own use, while public banks make the stem cells available to any transplant patient who is a donor match.

Family history can also be an important factor to consider when families decide to bank. Certain genetic profiles can make children susceptible to diseases that can be treated with cord blood stem cells. For example, parents carrying the sickle cell trait may have a child who has the disorder and a simple cord blood transfusion can replace the sickled blood cells.

Clinical studies also show that cord blood stem-cell transplants are nearly twice as successful when the stem cells come from a family member rather than from a public donor. For families with a child already facing one of the treatable diseases, ViaCord offers The Sibling Connection Program to provide access to stem cells for treatment. The program collects and stores the child's stem cells at no charge for families who meet the program's eligibility requirements and they can be used for a sibling needing a stem-cell transplant or transfusion.

Cord Blood - Life Saving Out of the Womb

Cord Blood - Life Saving Out of the Womb
So where will you get the stem cells, if God forbid, you are ever in such a situation? Well you can make do with the bone marrow of a family member, if the cells match. ""Umbilical cord blood from newborn babies can be used to produce embryonic-like cells that can potentially treat diseases and debilitating conditions. While not all states have public cord banks, you can ask your hospital whether it accepts cord blood donations for research purposes. There is also another option given by non-profit cord blood banks, of free programs through which one can store umbilical cord blood stem cell samples.

One more cord blood donation might just be enough to save another life. There are certain risks involved in this procedure, however they are minimal. Instead, the stem cells can also be collected from the embryonic and fetal source. ""With every passing day, the science behind the utility of umbilical cord blood is going a step forward.

More information about umbilical cord | Weighing the Pros and Cons of Banking Umbilical Cord Blood and cord blood banking | Storing Your Baby's Umbilical Cord Blood - How Much Does It Cost? url

Similarly, there are individuals who are suffering from cancerous diseases and are constantly searching for stem cell donors, so your baby's cord blood could be donated to them. Collection and storage charges of private banks can be very high and out of reach of many folks. If you can afford to harvest and store your newborns cord blood by all means does so. Thus, it is reasonable to seek alternative sources or an equivalent of stem cells.

More information about umbilical cord blood | Is Storing Cord Blood Worth the Cost? and cord blood banking | Information About Percutaneous Umbilical Cord Blood cord blood

A number of cord blood stem cell therapies are available that can treat 80 different diseases. An unusual container carries the cord blood to the cord blood cache. Before delivery the parents can deposit Rs. It was no less than a miracle that soon the lady became an expectant mother and after nine months delivered a healthy baby girl.

Several facilities offer ""family discounts"" and ""referral fees"" for referring your friends and family to the facility, but in general these benefits only go to offset future annual fees, or to lock in the current prices, not to lower the cost you will have to pay upfront. Flex blood caching is an anodyne and ethical trace of stem groups. But, now private banks are looking forward to expand donated cord blood stem cell, received from twin pregnancies and make use of these in future transplants. All these diseases require radiation therapy or chemotherapy to kill the destructive cells in the body.

CordLife India Launches Advanced Cord Blood Facility to Become the Largest Blood Bank in India

CordLife India Launches Advanced Cord Blood Facility to Become the Largest Blood Bank in India

CordLife India, the largest cord blood bank in India has launched new cord blood bank facility. The Advanced Cord Blood Facility with Quality Assurance from CordLife is a facility which stores umbilical cord blood for future use.

The collection, processing and storage of cord blood banking include immediately clamping and cutting the cord after the delivery of a baby. The caregiver then collects the umbilical cord blood by inserting a needle into the cord vein, and drains the same into a blood bag.

Since their inception, CordLife India has established a quality system and proven track record and has emerged as a reliable cord blood banking services provider. Their capability was recognized when their facility in Singapore became the first private cord blood bank in Southeast Asia to be accredited by AABB, the world's gold standard in private cord blood banking.

The winning expertise from Singapore was transferred to other CordLife facilities in Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong and now to India. Now, it has attained accreditation and certifications from various organizations and regulators that set standard for efficiency and quality in cord blood banking around the world.

CordLife prides on stringent standards and guarantee that baby's cord blood stem cell unit will be screened, processed and stored according to the strictest international quality assurance program. Transplant physicians are more likely to accept an internationally accredited cord blood unit, compared to a unit which is not.

About CordLife India
CordLife India is the largest and most advanced cord blood bank facility in the country, with a storage capacity of up to 150,000 cord blood units. The state-of-the-art laboratory with full processing, testing and cryopreservation capabilities is equipped with continuous power back-up as well as the most-up-to-date security and surveillance systems. Located in Kolkata and officially launched by Singapore Senior Minister and former Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong, CordLife India is licensed by the Drug Controller General of India to collect cord blood units from all Indian states and cities.

CordLife India Launches Advanced Cord Blood Facility to Become the Largest Blood Bank in India

CordLife India Launches Advanced Cord Blood Facility to Become the Largest Blood Bank in India

CordLife India, the largest cord blood bank in India has launched new cord blood bank facility. The Advanced Cord Blood Facility with Quality Assurance from CordLife is a facility which stores umbilical cord blood for future use.

The collection, processing and storage of cord blood banking include immediately clamping and cutting the cord after the delivery of a baby. The caregiver then collects the umbilical cord blood by inserting a needle into the cord vein, and drains the same into a blood bag.

Since their inception, CordLife India has established a quality system and proven track record and has emerged as a reliable cord blood banking services provider. Their capability was recognized when their facility in Singapore became the first private cord blood bank in Southeast Asia to be accredited by AABB, the world's gold standard in private cord blood banking.

The winning expertise from Singapore was transferred to other CordLife facilities in Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong and now to India. Now, it has attained accreditation and certifications from various organizations and regulators that set standard for efficiency and quality in cord blood banking around the world.

CordLife prides on stringent standards and guarantee that baby's cord blood stem cell unit will be screened, processed and stored according to the strictest international quality assurance program. Transplant physicians are more likely to accept an internationally accredited cord blood unit, compared to a unit which is not.

About CordLife India
CordLife India is the largest and most advanced cord blood bank facility in the country, with a storage capacity of up to 150,000 cord blood units. The state-of-the-art laboratory with full processing, testing and cryopreservation capabilities is equipped with continuous power back-up as well as the most-up-to-date security and surveillance systems. Located in Kolkata and officially launched by Singapore Senior Minister and former Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong, CordLife India is licensed by the Drug Controller General of India to collect cord blood units from all Indian states and cities.

Storing Umbilical Cord Blood: A Simple and Easy Process When you first get pregnant, you will receive all types of brochures and pamphlets from your doctor's office. These documents will range from diapers to creating a college saving fund for your unborn child. But, one of the more important items is the information on umbilical cord blood. This blood is rich with stem cells. Now, you may heard and read about stem cells. The cells are amazing in what they can do and what they can cure. Our company finds the job of storing stem cells a wonderful job and we take it very seriously to make sure nothing goes wrong. So, why would you want to store your baby's umbilical cord blood? Can the blood really do anything different than the blood that is in your body? The answer to those questions are yes, the blood in the umbilical cord can do so much more than the blood that is in your body. This blood is known to cure supposed incurable diseases all because certain families had made the smart decision to stored the blood after their child was born. So, by making the decision to store your child's umbilical cord blood today you could be saving their life if they ever get really sick. The process is real quick and easy – and will not take away from the bonding time between you and your baby. Basically, you must sign up on our web site prior to giving birth because there is a collection bag you will need to bring with you when you go to the hospital to give birth. Be sure that your doctor and the hospital is aware of your plans so that they will know what they need to do and have available prior to your arrival. After you have delivered your baby, your doctor will remove the umbilical cord and the placenta from you and your child. The doctor will then follow the detailed instructions on the collection bag to store the umbilical cord blood. This usually takes about five to ten minutes long. The blood will be stored securely at the hospital until it is picked up and brought to us. This is usually occurs within 48 hours of you giving birth. After we receive the cord blood, we will test it for it viability and to determine the cell count. These tests help us determine that the blood will be successful if there ever is a need to a transplant. Remember, the blood can be transplanted in other family members too and these tests will reveal if that would be successful. Once the tests are done, the blood is then frozen and then place in one of our machines. Our company is committed to helping families learn and store their baby's umbilical cord blood. Our procedure is very quick and easy and can help you keep peace of mind that you hold something that can cure some of nature's most incurable diseases. So, sign up today and your family can join the hundreds of other families that store their baby's umbilical cord blood.

Storing Umbilical Cord Blood: A Simple and Easy Process
When you first get pregnant, you will receive all types of brochures and pamphlets from your doctor's office. These documents will range from diapers to creating a college saving fund for your unborn child. But, one of the more important items is the information on umbilical cord blood. This blood is rich with stem cells. Now, you may heard and read about stem cells. The cells are amazing in what they can do and what they can cure. Our company finds the job of storing stem cells a wonderful job and we take it very seriously to make sure nothing goes wrong. So, why would you want to store your baby's umbilical cord blood? Can the blood really do anything different than the blood that is in your body? The answer to those questions are yes, the blood in the umbilical cord can do so much more than the blood that is in your body. This blood is known to cure supposed incurable diseases all because certain families had made the smart decision to stored the blood after their child was born. So, by making the decision to store your child's umbilical cord blood today you could be saving their life if they ever get really sick. The process is real quick and easy – and will not take away from the bonding time between you and your baby. Basically, you must sign up on our web site prior to giving birth because there is a collection bag you will need to bring with you when you go to the hospital to give birth. Be sure that your doctor and the hospital is aware of your plans so that they will know what they need to do and have available prior to your arrival. After you have delivered your baby, your doctor will remove the umbilical cord and the placenta from you and your child. The doctor will then follow the detailed instructions on the collection bag to store the umbilical cord blood. This usually takes about five to ten minutes long. The blood will be stored securely at the hospital until it is picked up and brought to us. This is usually occurs within 48 hours of you giving birth. After we receive the cord blood, we will test it for it viability and to determine the cell count. These tests help us determine that the blood will be successful if there ever is a need to a transplant. Remember, the blood can be transplanted in other family members too and these tests will reveal if that would be successful. Once the tests are done, the blood is then frozen and then place in one of our machines. Our company is committed to helping families learn and store their baby's umbilical cord blood. Our procedure is very quick and easy and can help you keep peace of mind that you hold something that can cure some of nature's most incurable diseases. So, sign up today and your family can join the hundreds of other families that store their baby's umbilical cord blood.

About Cord-Blood Banking

About Cord-Blood Banking
Cord-blood banking basically means collecting and storing the blood from within the umbilical cord (the part of the placenta that delivers nutrients to a fetus) after a baby is born.

Cord blood contains blood-forming stem cells, which are potentially useful for treating diseases that require stem cell transplants (also called bone marrow transplants), such as certain kinds of leukemia or lymphoma, aplastic anemia, severe sickle cell disease, and severe combined immunodeficiency.



There are two types of banks that store cord blood:

Public banks collect donated cord blood for research or for use by anyone who may need it. There is usually no charge associated with this service. After birth, blood is collected, anonymously marked, and sent to a public bank to potentially save the life of another child one day.

If you choose this option and your child or a family member later develops a disease that requires a stem cell transplant for treatment, you won't be able to obtain the donation you made to the bank.
Private banks store cord blood for personal use by the family. There is a fee associated with this service. People who have a family history of disease that can be treated with stem cell transplants sometimes consider this option.

Less commonly, people choose to privately bank their newborn's cord blood on the off chance that someday their child or a sick family member could be treated with it. This practice isn't recommended, however, since the costs associated with it are high and the chances of a family member ever using the cord blood are slim.
Like community or hospital blood banks, cord-blood banks are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has developed standards regulating future cord-blood collection and storage.