| An umbilical cord is the lifeline between a mother and the baby in her uterus. When the baby is born, the umbilical cord is usually cut and then thrown away with the placenta. Medical research has shown that the cord blood inside the umbilical cord is actually very valuable because it is a rich source of stem cells.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are like the wild card of the cellular world; they are unspecific cells that can develop into specific cells like bloods cells, muscle cells, or brain cells. Cord blood stem cells are often used for re-population of a patient's bone marrow after chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
What else can stem cells be used for?
Research is being done to test the effectiveness of stem cells in treating numerous other conditions. Doctors have infused stem cells into the hearts of heart attack victims, with hopes that the cells would generate new heart tissue. Stem cells may also help patients with coronary artery and vascular diseases by helping new blood vessels grow around the clogged or damaged arteries. Findings that human stem cells can mature into nerve cells have opened up many exciting possibilities in the realm of nerve and brain damage. Research has also shown that stem cells may be used for treating strokes and people with multiple sclerosis.
How is the cord blood collected and stored?
The collection is clean, painless and does not interfere with you delivery. Soon after delivery (within 15 minutes) your health care provider will collect the blood from the umbilical cord using one of two methods:
- Bag Method - Your doctor will elevate the umbilical cord, allowing gravity to cause the fluid to drain into a bag.
- Syringe Method - Your doctor will use a syringe to draw the blood from the umbilical cord.
The entire process should take less than 5 minutes. After the cord blood is collected, it will be transported via a medical courier to the blood bank where it will be processed and stored at a temperature of about -196 degrees Celsius (-321 Fahrenheit). The cord blood will remain here until you need it.
Can the baby's cord blood stem cells be used to treat anyone else?
The stem cells collected at the birth of the baby are a perfect match only for the baby or an identical twin, and will be a very good match for a sibling. The stem cells can also be used for a relative or friend whose cells closely match the baby's cells.
Cord blood stem cells are revolutionary in the medical world. With research being conducted everyday to develop more uses for cord blood stem cells, it is becoming even more important to consider saving your child's cord blood. To learn more about cord blood banking and the exciting possibilities that saving your baby's cord blood could offer, visit www.cordpartners.com | 
