What are the Benefits of Cord Blood?

What are the Benefits of Cord Blood?

Your baby’s natural and unique umbilical cord blood is chock full of special blood cells called stem cells. These stem cells have many potential health benefits for your baby and possibly even another family member. Stem cells are the body’s building blocks for important aspects of the body, including the blood, organs, tissues, and immune system. The stem cells are very individualized and unique to your baby. Therefore, by saving the cord blood, which is extracted safely after the baby’s birth, you are salvaging a precious biological resource that can potentially be used to cure certain conditions later on if needed. Umbilical cord blood and the stem cells contained within it have been found to help fight over 80 diseases, including cancer, blood disorders, and immune and genetic diseases. Leukemia, lupus, sickle cell anemia and countless other diseases have been shown to respond favorably to stem cell transplants. Studies are currently under way to show that stem cells may even be beneficial in fighting stroke, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and HIV. StemCyte is involved in collaborative research using cord blood stem cells. In our research efforts, we are particularly focused on using cord blood stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries by way of tissue regeneration. Your baby’s stem cells are a perfect match for him or her if he or she ever has a need for a stem cell transplant. In addition, the stem cells have a fifty percent chance of being a good match for a sibling of your baby and may even be a match for a parent of the baby. According to some reports, over 3,000 stem cell transplants from cord blood have occurred in the past 20 years, resulting in a cure for about forty to fifty percent of the patients. Stem cells from cord blood are safer than stem cells from bone marrow. Stem cells taken from bone marrow have a very high chance of being infected with a virus, particularly cytomegalovirus. These viruses can cause life-threatening health problems to those patients who receive the bone marrow. Cord blood is much less likely to contain viruses. Also, cord blood does not need to be an exact match like bone marrow does. There is a lower probability of graft versus host disease (GVHD) with cord blood as well. During transplantation, the stem cells within the cord blood help to repair the body’s red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which are all needed for healthy blood and a strong immune system. The stem cells also work to repair bone, the heart, muscle cells, and nerve cells. They basically provide healthy cells that replace the damaged ones, fighting disease and strengthening the body’s defenses