Cord Blood Storage

Cord Blood Storage is a system of saving cord blood for future use. Storing cord blood is a good way of protecting your children against any potential future diseases that may require the services of the stem cell blood transfusion. The storage process is being performed by the Umbilical Cord Banks.

The umbilical cord blood storage involves the removal of the plasma and retaining the white blood cells that are essential in the transplantation process. However, the blood cells must be tested and found safe to be used in transplantation prior to proceeding with the umbilical cord blood storage.

There are various methods of cord blood storage. However, the method that is commonly used in the clinical practice is the closed technique, which is comparable to the standard blood storage techniques. With this system, the technician pricks the vein of the cut umbilical cord, using a needle that connected to a blood bag, and cord blood moves through the needle into the bag.
Reasons for Umbilical Cord Blood Storage

There are many reasons for associated to the umbilical cord blood storage. The umbilical cord blood taken during the birthing process can save lives. Umbilical cord blood storage preserves a supply of stem cells to be used by you and other family members should there be any emergency medical complications. The following are the reasons attributable to umbilical cord blood storage.

• The stored blood can be used for the treatment of many diseases such as heart disease, cancer and strokes.
• The immune cells gathered for the purpose of blood storage are very unique for the family and can also be easily transplanted without rebuff.
• Demand for cell tissue donors is high. Patients often have to wait long periods for a match while their condition deteriorates. People who have arranged cord blood banking with a cord blood registry have a ready supply of cells that are genetically matched.
• For that already in treatment for life-threatening illnesses, stem cells from blood cord donation can restore fresh blood where chemotherapy and radiation have killed off healthy cells.
• Cord blood collection is made from the umbilical cord and not from a fetus in development. It isn’t steeped in controversies associated with other techniques of gathering stem cells.
• Cord blood transplants are considered an easier match within families than more conventional bone marrow cell resources.
• Saving your baby’s stem cells gives you and your family the biggest sense of security as well as their future health.
• The umbilical cord blood can be stored for at least 15 years and it will still retain its strength.

Finally, people choose to store cord blood with an eye to the future. At the moment, the technology only allows the stem cells from cord blood to be used for bone marrow transplants. The hope, however, is that medical know-how will continue to move forward, and that the stored cord blood will be used for other purposes in the future. Storing stem cells in the present allows a family to be included if future discoveries are made, and to be part of any future cures that may be found.

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