Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB)
Blood from the placenta and umbilical cord is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells. Typically, these cells are discarded with the afterbirth. However, UCB cells can be collected after the baby’s birth by an obstetrician and then cryopreserved (frozen) for future use. Up to one cup of blood is collected into a standard blood bag. The cells are processed and frozen using state-of-the-art equipment and technologies. Once frozen, they can be stored in a liquid nitrogen freezer indefinitely, to be removed as needed in case of injury or disease.
To date, stem cells from cord blood banking have been used to treat a variety of diseases, including sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, leukemia and some genetic-based immunodeficiencies. Banking of your baby’s stem cells ensures that viable stem cells are available, should your child become sick and need a stem cell transplant. Storage of your child’s stem cells circumvents the need to search for a matching donor from a public stem cell bank. Furthermore, it is possible, but not guaranteed, that your baby’s stem cells might also provide a match for siblings, if the need arises.
Please note that the reality of needing these stored stem cells is very small. According to one report (J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 1997 19, p. 183-6), estimates of the need for one’s own stem cells range wildly from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 200,000; however, if the occasion does arise, it is nice to know that one’s own stem cells are available. Having Biocytics™ store your child’s stem cells is beneficial also because, with parental consent, a small portion of the cells will be used for scientific research in efforts to grow and expand UCBs to increase the number available to treat diseases.
Why bank UCB stem cells?
1. To provide a source of healthy cells that are a perfect match for your child in case of a disease that requires stem cell transplantation to cure.
2. To provide a source of healthy cells that could be a close match for an unrelated person in need of a stem cell transplantation.
3. To provide a source of stem cells for study to improve disease treatment and care.
