Saving the Cord Blood can Save a Life

Among all other necessary things, the biological parents must not forget about the cord blood banking as future insurance. The blood in the placenta and the umbilical cord is about 100 milliliters on average or nearly one-third of the total amount of blood in a baby.This umbilical cord so valuable because it is a rich source of blood-forming stem cells that are already useful in treating more than 50 diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma, and immune deficiencies. The most exciting stem cell therapies are still under development, including cerebral palsy treatments, autism, and Parkinson’s disease.

Interestingly, the umbilical cord is not the only source of stem cells. Throughout our body, stem cells are seen and specifically concentrated in the bone marrow. Extraction of bone marrow stem cells, however, is a painful, cumbersome and expensive process. Also, the stem cells found in the rest of the body are not sufficiently rich for medical therapy. Following are the reasons that possess uniqueness to the umbilical cord blood stem cells:

• It is the most basic cell which is the primitive source of stem cells and is not infected by any kind of pathogens.
• It can be easily collected during the birth of a child.
• The rejection rate of stem cells of the umbilical cord is low as compared to other stem cells.

It’s collected immediately after your child’s birth. The collection process is non-invasive and painless–in the excitement of seeing and holding your baby for the first time, you might not even realize it. Your doctor would clamp and cut the umbilical cord as usual after delivery (whether it’s normal or C-section). They will then extract blood from the umbilical cord attached to the placenta. This blood is then stored in a collection bag, sent for long-term storage to the stem cell bank where you are registered.

In India, there are many reputed firms providing stem cell banking. You should select a highly reputable stem cell banking company and allure superior technological advances. You should also look for facilities that can withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes and choose a company with storage banks in areas less prone to floods and cyclones. The cost depends on the company you have chosen and the plan you have chosen. For an annual payment ranging from 1500 to 3500, most companies offer single-site storage.