If you plan on having a child or more children, you may want to educate yourself about cord blood. Did you know your child’s cord blood can help save lives?
According to VIACORD.com they are 80 diseases – including leukemia, aplastic anemia, and Hodgkin’s disease – that have been successfully treated using cord blood and stem cells.
So, how does a cord blood transplant work? During the transplant, the donor’s blood cells are infused into the recipient patient’s bloodstream where they then begin healing damaged cells and tissue. A successful transplant results in a new healthy immune system.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute further explains how umbilical cord blood donations poses little risk to donors and can be used later in life if the cord is stored frozen. When cord blood is donated it is taken directly from the cord after the child is born, with no harm to the child. The cord blood is then later stored in a private or public cord blood bank. Private blood banks are reserved for the specific family and require annual storage fees, while a public bank is free and the blood is available to be used to by a number of patients in need of a transplant.
Common questions asked about cord blood donations include:
- Are umbilical cord blood cells the same as embryonic stem cells?
- What is Be The Match Registry®?
- When is umbilical cord blood used for a transplant?
Here’s something to consider when the time comes to decide whether or not to save your child’s umbilical cord blood. Just as the cord gave your child life, it can give life to another, just as easily. To learn more about cord blood donations visit: