Friday, September 11, 2009

Cord Blood Information

Defination of Cord Blood

Umbilical cord blood is blood that remains in the placenta and in the attached umbilical cord after childbirth. Cord blood is obtained from the umbilical cord at the time of childbirth, after the cord has been detached from the newborn. Cord blood is collected because it contains stem cells, including hematopoietic cells, which can be used to treat hematopoietic and genetic disorders.Some placental blood may be returned to the neonatal circulation if the umbilical cord is not prematurely clamped. In some obstetric and midwifery practices, physiological extended-delayed cord clamping protocol, as well as water birth, allows for the cord blood to pulse into the neonate for 2–20 minutes after delivery. If the umbilical cord is not clamped, a physiological clamping occurs upon interaction with cold air, when the internal gelatinous substance, called Wharton's jelly, swells around the umbilical artery and veins.

Cord blood harvesting

Umbilical cord blood is the blood left over in the placenta and in the umbilical cord after the birth of the baby. The cord blood contains stem cells, including hematopoietic cells. Umbilical cord blood is well-recognized to be useful for treating hematopoietic and genetic disorders.Removing the umbilical cord blood is not harmful to the baby and the blood would normally be thrown away as medical waste.

There are several methods for collecting cord blood. The method most commonly used in clinical practice is the “closed technique”, which is similar to standard blood collection techniques. With this method, the technician cannulates the vein of the severed umbilical cord using a needle that is connected to a blood bag, and cord blood flows through the needle into the bag. On average, the closed technique enables collection of about 75 ml cord blood.

What are Stem Cells:

Stem cells are often referred to as the building blocks of the blood as well as of other tissues and organs in the body. These stem cells are very special compared to other cells because they have the ability to adapt. Unlike other cells within the body they are non-specific, and this means that they can ensure the reproduction and healthy growth of cells in all parts of the body rather than just in a particular area of the body.

Why save cord blood ?

Following the birth of a baby, the umbilical cord and placenta are generally discarded. However, both of these are packed with valuable cord blood stem cells, which can be used in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases. In short, saving cord blood stem cells could help to save lives.

Traditionally, bone marrow transplantation has been used to treat many of the conditions that can also be treated with cord blood stem cells. However, with bone marrow it is necessary to find a perfect match between the donor and the recipient. This makes it far harder to find a suitable match and increases the chances of rejection. Cord blood stem cells, however, are very young and adaptable cells, and these have a far greater chance of being accepted, as they do not have to be a perfect match.

Should I Save My Child’s Cord Blood?

As if you didn’t have enough to worry about, now you’ve got to figure out if storing your child’s umbilical cord blood might just save his or her life. With the advent of amazing and clinically tested stem cell treatments, today’s expecting parents are faced with the real possibility that their child may one day require a stem cell transplant. Umbilical cords, with a host of hematopoietic stem cells, may be puffy tubes filled with the equivalent of medical miracles. Let’s take a look at the benefits, costs, likely uses, and possible alternatives to freezing the umbilical cord blood of your baby. There’s a video about the collection method itself, after the break.

Here’s a short list of horrible illnesses that your child could develop and that might keep you awake at night: leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, severe sickle cell anemia, immune deficiencies, and heart disease. Each of these disasters are can be treated with hematopoietic stem cells. While you could get these cells from a bone marrow transplant, an umbilical cord allows a child to provide it’s own donation. So, if you chose to store your child’s cord blood, and he or she gets hit by one of the above disasters, you may be on your way to the ‘most cautious and loving parent award.’
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