Cord blood banking that is, from which precious and potentially life-improving stem cells is derived from. Every parent now has the option of deciding what to do with their newborn’s umbilical cord blood, and making an informed choice could make a difference, not just for your family, but the well-being of others.
Cord blood banking is the practice of collecting, storing and transplanting umbilical cord blood. It was discovered during the 1970s that human stem cells may be harvested and used for a number of therapeutic purposes, specifically in the treatment of disorders involving the blood and immune system. Research has gone on to show that umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells which are genetically distinctive to your baby.
Characteristically, stem cells are a number of omnipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) which are the forerunners to blood cells. As such, they are considered “master” cells that can be coaxed into regenerating most of the 220 cells found in the human body, from the brain, liver and blood to the skin and more. It is this ability to self-renew, mature and differentiate into a variety of tissues that researchers have found most promising about stem cells.
What’s more, stem cells also have abilities that can be very beneficial for healing as they can stimulate the production of many types of healthy biological cells; for example, white blood cell types, which protect the body from infection. Stem cells are thus very important as they are responsible for the development of all the organs and tissues in the body.
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The potency and promise of cord blood stem cells
Currently, there are over 80 diseases that can be treated via cord blood stem cell transplants, which include life-threatening ones such as leukaemia, myeloma, lymphoma, sickle cell anaemia and various body tumours or immune system disorders. Some of these illnesses require chemotherapy or radiation to eliminate destructive or cancerous cells, and in the process, healthy cells are destroyed too.
Previously, a bone marrow transplant was the usual and conventional line of treatment for those above-listed conditions. This is because, like cord blood, premature blood forming stem cells are found in the bone marrow that makes blood platelets, red cells and white cells.
In a bone marrow transplant, a large amount of stem cells from a donor is first infused into the bone marrow. However, it requires time for these cells to repopulate the bone marrow and regenerate the combative white blood cells necessary to ward off infection. There is also risk that the recipient’s immune system may also potentially reject the transplant even after the operation. This can lead to Graft-Versus-Host-Disease (GVHD), where around 40 percent of cases are fatal.
In light of this, the uptake of cord blood stem cell banking has thus been rising among a growing number of parents as the risk of GVHD is greatly reduced if an individual’s own stem cells are used. Already, stem cell therapy is gaining reputation as a more viable means of treatment versus bone marrow transplants. With cord blood now determined as an alternative source for stem cells, parents are also aware that they have only one shot at the time of their baby’s birth to collect and store this precious biological resource. In fact, there are many advantages to this procedure, which include:
It is important to note that despite these plusses, every stem cell transplant case is unique and therefore approached on an individual basis. Occasionally, the patient may suffer from a specific and severe disease that cannot be treated with even his own cord blood. This is because the blood already likely contains the genetic defects that resulted in the illness, so a search for a matching donor with compatible stem cells would have to be conducted instead.
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A limited—and precious—commodity
Healthy cord blood stem cells have also been found to effectively treat diabetes in young children, proving to be an even better option than insulin injections in helping slow down insulin loss in their bodies over time.
Among the 80 diseases that can be treated via cord blood stem cell transplants, some of them can also be cardiovascular and neurological (involving the brain and nerves) in nature. These disorders are usually also rare and genetic, and their low incidence also makes finding suitable donors especially difficult. Tay-Sachs Disease; Krabbe Disease; Hurler Syndrome; Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD); Metachromatic Leukodystrophy; and Sandhoff Disease, to name but a few: while all of these illnesses are seldom heard of, it doesn’t mean that they don’t occur, with potentially devastating effects on the patients and their families as they are typically life-threatening and even fatal. Sometimes, these progressive and degenerative diseases are best treated before the symptoms actively manifest. Thus, being able to infuse the stem cells in a timely manner makes it more imperative for them to be readily available when this urgent need arises. Tragically, some families may be unaware that they are carriers of defective genes and by the time they realise this fact, it is too late.
In fact, the life-saving value of a baby’s umbilical cord blood and the precise timeframe in which it is available is so precious that more mothers are now being encouraged to opt in to donate, instead of disposing the umbilical cord and placenta as medical waste. The Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB), which was set up in 2005, is the first public cord blood bank in the country and Southeast Asia. According to a December 2015 report in The Straits Times, SCBB has over 11,000 cord blood units (CBUs) in its inventory, which it hopes to raise to 15,000 CBUs within the next five years. In 2014, the SCBB received 3,927 cord blood donations, and as of end November 2015, more than 3,000 donations were received.
Power lies not just in the enormous potential of stem cells, but in pledging it as well. More mothers are choosing to privately bank their babies’ cord blood, with some of them even making the decision at the early onset of their pregnancy. The best time to decide what to do with your baby’s cord blood is between 32 weeks after gestation and before admission to the hospital for the birth. Should you decide not to keep your baby’s cord blood for personal reasons, you can discuss the possibility of donation with your Ob-Gyn (obstetrician-gynaecologist). Every potential cord blood donor must complete the SCBB’s Cord Blood Donation Process which involves a pre-screening evaluation as well as a meeting with an SCBB Donor Coordinator who will help the mother complete the Informed Consent Process.
If you are pregnant, understanding the virtues of cord blood donation is not enough—unfortunately, some women only make their intentions known only at the point of delivery, when it is already too late. So remember to not only make an informed choice, but to settle on your decision before you go into labour!
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Banking for the future
Now that you are aware of the numerous benefits of stem cells, the kinds of illnesses that such therapy can treat, when the optimal time is to decide what to do with your infant’s cord blood, and how to donate to the SCBB, you might be wondering how the collection and storage of the cord blood is like, and if such a procedure might pose any remote risk to you and your baby.
Overall, cord blood banking involves the collection, processing and storage of your newborn’s umbilical cord blood. The entire procedure can be outlined thus:
As parents, we all want the best for our children—and our best efforts to prepare and provide for them can sometimes begin even before their births. When it comes to saving and storing your baby’s cord blood stem cells, the ultimate decision is yours to make. Whether you choose to privately bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood, there is no right or wrong choice. In fact, the unspoken hope is that your loved ones will actually never need the stem cells! However, in the interests of the wider community, should you decide not to engage the services of a private cord blood bank, do consider making a donation to the SCBB. There’re no costs involved, it is painless and your baby’s stem cells could save someone’s life (instead of simply being discarded).
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Going Private!
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