A preterm or premature baby is born before the 37th or 40th week of gestation. Premature infants are usually very tiny and have lower total blood volumes. However, preterm delivery stem cell collection is still highly viable in such cases. Clinical evidence suggests that while preterm babies are born with underdeveloped organs and depend on the NICU for breathing, feeding, and temperature regulation, the cellular density in preterm blood is often remarkable. This article highlights how the relation between gestational age and concentration of stem cells is proportionate, and that the concentration of stem cells is quite rich, even though the collection volume is 40% lower compared to full-term babies.

Impact on Cord Blood Volume and Cell Count

The volume and quality of cord blood increase steadily as the pregnancy reaches its end. Premature babies miss out on this support. Consequently, full-term births often yield a higher total volume of blood for collection. However, preterm labour and stem cell banking must not be taken lightly as the concentration of stem cells within that blood tells a different story. Research indicates that preterm cord blood is often exceptionally rich in CD34+ cells vital for engraftment and provides an ideal genetic match for potential regenerative therapies.

Volume is a major factor in the success of cord blood banking. A larger volume usually contains a higher Total Nucleated Cell (TNC) count. Preterm infants, especially those born before 32 weeks, have smaller placentas and cords. This naturally results in a lower total volume of blood during collection. In some cases, the volume may fall below the minimum processing threshold.

Delayed Cord Clamping in Preterm Deliveries

Most neonatologists prioritise the immediate health benefits of delayed cord clamping for preterm deliveries. This practice is beneficial for the transfer of blood from the placenta to the infant, preventing the risk of intraventricular haemorrhage. It also supports better circulatory stability during the first critical hours of life. However, delayed cord clamping inherently reduces the amount of blood left for banking purposes. This creates a clinical dilemma for parents who wish to pursue both.

Successful cord blood collection in a premature baby is still possible after delayed cord clamping. It only requires trained professionals, specialised collection kits and choosing futuristic laboratories fitted with advanced equipment to extract maximum stem cells from even a lower volume of cord blood sample.

Cord Tissue Banking

Alongside the physical size of preterm babies, the blood volume is lower when compared to that of full-term babies. The scanty cord blood volume can be compensated for by means of cord tissue banking. This process involves storing sections of the umbilical cord itself rather than blood. In case of stem cell banking in preterm delivery, cord tissue enriched with Mesenchymal Stem Cells can be collected for successful storage. For a preterm child, Mesenchymal Stem Cells could eventually treat complications related to lung or brain development.

Laboratory Processing and Accreditation Standards

The process of cord blood banking requires cord blood banks to handle low-volume samples with extreme care to avoid any cell loss. Choosing a bank with international accreditation that follows stringent protocols is particularly important. These standards ensure that the sample remains viable for many decades of storage.

Expectant parents who ask themselves if stem cell collection is possible in preterm birth should inquire about the cord blood bank’s experience with preterm or low-volume collections. Proprietary technology enhances the recovery of cells from small samples. The quality of the cryopreservation process is also vital for long-term cell health. Samples are stored at extremely low temperatures to halt all biological ageing processes. This preserves the pristine and active nature of the preterm stem cells.

Clinical Outlook for Preterm Stem Cell Applications

The future of stem cell therapy is promising for preterm infants. Research shows that Mesenchymal Stem Cells are extremely potent in treating bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic lung disease common in premature babies. Other studies have found that stem cell transplantation can streamline treatment for neonatal brain injuries. These neuroprotective therapies could significantly improve long-term developmental outcomes for the child.

As regenerative medicine advances, the value of stored stem cells can only grow exponentially. The cells collected today are a bridge to the medical breakthroughs of tomorrow. Every preterm birth is a unique experience that requires a tailored plan. With the right information, parents can make a confident and informed decision.

Conclusion

Preterm delivery does affect the parameters of stem cell collection, but it does not prevent it. While blood volumes may be lower, the cellular quality often remains exceptionally high. Through a combination of blood and tissue banking, families can overcome volume limitations. The decision to bank premature cord blood stem cells is a proactive investment in a child’s health.

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The birth of a child fills the lives of parents with real joy and happiness. Not only does the moment mark the arrival, but it also presents a situation where parents have to take a call regarding the preservation of their child’s umbilical cord blood at the time of birth. Research shows that stem cells found in umbilical cord blood are playing a pioneering role in treating numerous diseases, offering unprecedented health benefits.

Let’s understand the conditions treated with umbilical cord blood and how these stem cells act as a protective barrier for you and your child from a variety of serious, life-threatening illnesses.

Preserving Cord Blood: Understanding Its Potential

Cord blood banking is a process that preserves essential stem cells from the umbilical cord, which can be utilised to treat over 80 diseases, including various cancers and immune disorders. These younger cells that can quickly regenerate are highly utilised in transplants to restore the blood and immune systems. You have the option to engage in private banking for your family or to contribute funds to the public.

Even a few years back, people hardly knew about cord blood, let alone preserving it. However, extensive research in this domain has opened up new avenues for regenerative and therapeutic uses, demonstrating potential health benefits for more than 80 serious diseases.

Even the FDA classifies umbilical cord blood as a biological product, specifically haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC), which can be utilised in the treatment of blood and immune system disorders. The FDA states that although it may be applicable for transplants, it is not a universal solution for all diseases, and certain non-transplant applications are still undergoing testing. The FDA distinguishes between public donations, which are encouraged, and private banking.

Stem cells are undifferentiated, self-renewing cells that can develop into specialised cells to repair and regenerate tissues. Some of the common regenerative stem cells are:

• Embryonic stem cells
• Adult stem cells
• Foetal stem cells
• Umbilical cord stem cells

A newborn’s umbilical cord blood contains haematopoietic stem cells that can develop into all types of blood cells. These stem cells are collected at birth and preserved for potential future use. Here goes the list of diseases treated with cord blood:

Cancers

• Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia (AML)
• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)
• Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia (CML)
• Multiple Myeloma
• Lymphomas (Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin).

Blood Disorders

• Aplastic Anemia
• Fanconi Anemia
• Sickle Cell Disease
• Beta-Thalassemia Major
• Congenital DyserythropoieticAnaemia
• Inherited platelet anomalies

Immune System Disorders:

• Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
• Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
• Various neutropenias

Metabolic Disorders

• Adrenoleukodystrophy
• Hunter’s Syndrome
• Hurler’s Syndrome
• Krabbe Disease
• Metachromatic Leukodystrophy
• Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome
• Metachromatic Leukodystrophy
• Morquio Syndrome
• Mucolipidosis
• Niemann-Pick Disease
• Osteopetrosis
• Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease
• Sandhoff Disease
• Sanfilippo Syndrome
• Scheie Syndrome
• Sly Syndrome
• Wolman Disease

Due to their immense potential, stem cells continue to spark interest in scientists and the healthcare community. Statistics and data demonstrate increasingly astonishing potential of regenerative stem cells in medicine. Some of these diseases, treatable with cord blood stem cells, have been a point of discussion in healthcare communities for the last few years.

Let’s explore

• Since 1928, individuals across the globe have utilised human foetal stem cells to address a variety of medical conditions. Italy released an article in a medical journal discussing a form of foetal tissue transplantation that may benefit individuals suffering from cancer and diabetes, a condition characterised by elevated blood sugar levels.
• 
  Currently, approximately 50,000 stem cell transplants take place globally each year, with a remarkable growth rate of 10 to 15 per cent annually. Researchers found a benign impact of stem cells in treating Leukaemia, which is the most prevalent form of cancer among children globally, including in India.

• Till 2010, stem cell transplants had effectively treated over 17,000 individuals suffering from blood cancer.

Clinical trials primarily focus on evaluating safety and effectiveness. Researchers globally are conducting research to find the potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from cord blood and umbilical cord tissue to address a wide range of health issues.

Patients and their families are now participating in global clinical trials facilitated by specialised resources. These lists cover trials using cells derived from either cord blood or cord tissue. There are also comprehensive tables that monitor every diagnosis examined in clinical trials involving these cells, regardless of whether those trials are ongoing, have concluded, or are no longer accepting participants. This information provides an overview of the extent of research conducted on cord blood and cord tissue across various medical fields.

Cordlife: India’s Leading Stem Cell Bank

Stem cells with regenerative capabilities hold significant promise. They help scientists understand how the human body grows and repairs itself, and they open new pathways for treating many life-threatening diseases.

That is why the time of birth holds greater significance than it may initially appear. Cord blood serves as a valuable and uncommon reservoir of potent stem cells that often goes unnoticed by many individuals. The opportunity is lost permanently once that moment has elapsed. Today, healthcare communities have enlisted a number of diseases treated with umbilical cord blood stem cells.

For expectant parents thinking ahead—about health, security, and future possibilities—choosing the right stem cell banking solution becomes an important decision. Cordlife helps you make that decision by enabling you to preserve what may ultimately transform your life.

• Cordlife takes pride in supporting families through some of their most challenging moments. The company promotes the storage of umbilical cord blood for its rich supply of haematopoietic stem cells, which can cure over 80 diseases, including leukaemia, lymphoma, and immune disorders.  

Here are some real-life accounts that illustrate how cord blood, cord lining, and tissue units preserved in Cordlife facilities have contributed to successful stem cell transplants and treatments for a diverse array of conditions, including rare genetic blood disorders, childhood cancers, and neurological disorders. Each journey—for example,

• Joyce’s recovery from a neurological condition
• Jayant’s victory over thalassaemia
• Eugene’s fight against leukaemia

All these reflect strength, hope and commitment which remain steadfast in every aspect of the treatment. These stories are truly encouraging and exciting as they are strong reminders of how preserved cord blood can give families a second chance when they need it most.

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Concern for the well-being of their children is second nature to parents. With around 60,000 infants diagnosed with cancer every year in India, new parents often consider stem cell therapy as the definitive approach. Transplantation of stored stem cells can help rebuild the haematopoietic and immune systems to treat a wide variety of cancer like leukaemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, etc. The biological fluid left behind in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born is a rich source of haematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, which can proliferate indefinitely into a host of different types of specialised progenitor cells like nerve, muscle, and blood cells.

An Overview of Stem Cells

Cord blood is drawn in an aseptic process as soon as the umbilical cord is clipped and cut after the birth of a baby. The cord blood is well supplied with haematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells. The unique properties of these cells are their ability to regenerate indefinitely and their undifferentiated state. In other words, these cells are unspecialised, and when transplanted, can gradually take on the morphological and biochemical properties to turn into specialised cells like blood, nerve, muscle, or bone cells.

The collected cord blood is transported to the cord blood bank laboratory, where the stem cells are segregated, tested, and screened for infections. Finally, the screened sample is cryogenically frozen to around -196°C using liquid nitrogen in a controlled process. The frozen cord blood stem cells are stored in specialised bank facilities under strict monitoring. These perfectly preserved samples are carefully thawed, retested, and prepared to ensure reliable treatment or therapies for life-threatening diseases in the future.

Stem Cell Therapy

As already established, stem cells have the unique potential to develop into many different cell types in the human body, supporting the body’s natural healing potential by repairing and regenerating diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissues.

Stem cell therapy has revolutionised conventional treatments in cases of childhood cancer treatment, most commonly, Leukaemia, Lymphoma, and Neuroblastoma. The therapy helps rebuild the immune system, which becomes a decisive factor for recovery after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation.

Regenerative medicine has subverted the traditional approach to treatment by reducing the dependency on organ transplants, which often come with the risk of organ rejection.

The efficacy of stem cell therapy is unquestioned in cases of genetic disorders like Thalassemia, because it replaces defective cells with healthy ones, offering a potential cure rather than mere management.

Childhood Cancer

Children under the age of five had been reported to have suffered from neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, and retinoblastoma, where a solid tumour appeared on their abdomen, chest, neck, or pelvis as a result of immature nerve cells. All three of these cancers can be successfully treated with the patient’s own cord blood stem cell therapy for cancer.

Blood cancers like the various forms of leukaemia are the most common cancers in children. However, children with pediatric blood cancer like leukaemia, or a hereditary blood disorder like thalassemia major or sickle cell anaemia require allogeneic transplantation, ideally from a matched sibling donor, because the diseases are genetic in nature and the child’s cord blood carries the strains of the same.

Stored Stem Cells and Childhood Cancer Treatment

Stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood can work as personalised medicine by using a patient’s own or a sibling’s stem cells for childhood cancer treatment. Enhanced efficacy and reduced risk of adverse reactions are the most significant features of stored stem cells. Stem cell therapy optimises cancer treatments by replacing dysfunctional cells and destroyed bone marrow with healthy ones, while targeting specific genetic anomalies within a patient’s tumour cells. They even allow exposure to more intense doses of chemotherapy, thus improving survival rates for high-risk cancers such as neuroblastoma.

Transplantation of preserved stem cells streamlines the treatment of malignant cancers. Opting for either autologous transplantation, stem cells from a child’s own umbilical cord blood, or allogeneic transplantation, stem cells from a matched sibling, significantly lowers the threat of immune system rejection or graft-versus-host disease. Experiments show that allogeneic stem cell transplantation is capable of countering cancer cells through a graft-versus-tumour effect, where the new immune system neutralises the remaining cancer cells.

Conclusion

To wrap up, this article aims to assist parents in making informed choices rather than being alarmed. Childhood cancers are rare, and even cases of pediatric leukaemia, neuroblastoma and other variants of cancer are treatable. Ongoing researches aim at finding means to prevent these diseases using cord blood stem cells.

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Cord blood banking helps you store your baby’s umbilical cord blood so you can use it for potential medical needs in the future. As an expecting parent in India, you make many decisions about your child’s well-being. One of those decisions now includes evaluating modern medical options such as stem cell preservation. You may hear about cord blood banking from hospitals, doctors, or family members, yet you may still need clear, credible, and simple guidance.

What cord blood banking means

Cord blood banking involves collecting and storing blood from your baby’s umbilical cord immediately after birth. The blood contains haematopoietic stem cells, which help regenerate blood and immune cells. Doctors use them in treatments for cancers, genetic disorders, and immune system diseases.

 Medical teams use these stem cells in several treatments. The U.S. National Institutes of Health explains the therapeutic relevance of cord blood stem cells in many conditions.

Why cord blood matters to you

• The collection process remains safe and painless for you and your baby.
• The stem cells retain strong regenerative potential.
• You preserve a resource that may support your child or biological family members.

Cord blood banking has increased in India due to rising awareness and improved medical infrastructure.

Cord Blood Stem Cells

• Leukaemia
• Lymphoma
• Thalassaemia
• Sickle cell disease
• Severe immune deficiencies
• Metabolic disorders

These treatments occur through stem cell transplants. Cord blood often becomes an option when bone marrow matches are unavailable.

Types of cord blood banking available in India

Indian parents usually choose between public and private cord blood banking. Each option serves different needs.

Public cord blood banking

You donate your baby’s cord blood to a public bank. The sample becomes available for any patient who needs a stem cell transplant. It may also support medical research. You do not pay for a donation.

Public banks follow strict screening and testing protocols before storing samples.

Private cord blood banking

You store your baby’s cord blood exclusively for your family. You pay a collection fee and an annual storage fee. Many parents choose private banking when they want a reserved biological resource.

Public vs Private Cord Blood Banking Comparison

How cord blood collection works

The process remains simple and safe. It occurs immediately after birth and after the cord is clamped.

Steps involved

• The umbilical cord is clamped and cut.
• Your doctor cleans the cord area.
• The medical team draws blood into a sterile collection bag.
• The sample goes to a certified processing laboratory.
• The lab tests the sample for cell count and viability.
• Stem cells go into long-term cryogenic storage.

The collection process does not affect your delivery or your bonding time with your baby.

How cord blood banking benefits your family

Many Indian families explore cord blood storage to secure a future medical resource. You may consider it when you have a family history of blood disorders or immune-related conditions.

A study in Paediatrics estimates the probability of using stored cord blood ranges from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 200,000, depending on medical history.

Why families choose cord blood banking

• Support for potential future treatments
• Access to compatible stem cells
• Peace of mind in medical planning
• Interest in upcoming regenerative therapies

Cord blood is not a guaranteed cure, but it remains a significant tool in modern medicine.

Cost considerations in India

Private storage costs vary based on service providers and storage duration.

Typical pricing in India

• Initial collection cost: ₹50,000 – ₹80,000
• Annual storage fee: ₹4,000 – ₹10,000

Some companies offer lifetime plans with a one-time payment.

Quality and accreditation standards you should check

When choosing a bank, review certifications and processing standards. Accredited banks follow strict protocols for safety and cell viability.

• AABB accreditation
• FACT accreditation
• Indian regulatory compliance
• Transparent processing systems
• Strong track record in sample viability

These indicators confirm credibility and scientific reliability.

Future potential of cord blood stem cells

Cord blood continues to gain medical attention. Researchers study stem cells for conditions beyond current approved therapies. Areas of interest include neurodevelopmental disorders, autoimmune diseases, and regenerative medicine.

While these studies remain exploratory, they signal strong scientific momentum.

Key considerations before you decide

Your decision depends on your medical history, financial plans, and long-term priorities.

Questions to ask yourself

• Do you have inherited conditions in your family?
• Does private banking fit your budget?
• Do you prefer donation over private storage?
• Are you interested in future regenerative options?

Benefits

• Safe collection
• Potential medical use
• Long-term biological resource

Every family’s needs differ. Your doctor can help you evaluate these points based on your health profile.

Cord blood banking adoption in India

India continues to grow its cord blood banking industry. Several hospitals partner with accredited banks. Organisations see strong potential in integrating cord blood education into prenatal care programs. This growth connects India to broader medical advancements.

Conclusion

Cord blood banking offers a structured way to preserve stem cells at birth. You receive a simple and safe procedure. You also gain a potential medical asset for your family. As a parent-to-be, your goal includes making informed decisions that support long-term health. Cord blood banking becomes one of those decisions when you understand the science, the benefits, and the considerations involved.

A thoughtful approach helps you prepare for your child’s future with confidence, clarity, and access to reliable medical information.

The post Cord blood banking: A Simple Guide For Parents to be appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

Stem cell preservation cost in India matters to many parents-to-be who want long-term medical security for their child. You make many decisions during pregnancy. Some relate to childbirth planning, newborn essentials, and financial readiness. Stem cell preservation adds another layer, as you evaluate both medical value and affordability.

India has seen rapid growth in stem cell banking. More hospitals now offer collection services, and private banks promote long-term storage plans. You gain clarity when you understand the cost structure, what the packages include, and how the investment aligns with your family priorities.

What Is Stem Cell Preservation and Why Does It Matter?

Stem cell preservation stores your baby’s cord blood and sometimes cord tissue immediately after birth. These cells contain hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, which are used in the treatment of 80+ medical conditions, including blood cancers, immune disorders, and genetic diseases.

According to the National Institutes of Health, cord blood stem cells support treatment for multiple life-threatening conditions.

Why Many Indian Parents Consider Stem Cell Preservation

Stem cell banking has grown quickly in India due to its strong medical value, increasing hospital participation and affordable long-term storage options.  Growing awareness among expectant parents is also a key reason.

Here are some more common reasons why parents choose umbilical cord blood preservation:

• A family history of medical disorders
• Access to matched stem cells
• Support for future regenerative therapies
• Long-term medical preparedness

Research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation highlights the wide medical application of cord blood stem cells in current treatments and ongoing research.

Stem Cell Preservation Cost in India: What Parents Should Know

India offers some of the most cost-effective stem cell banking options worldwide. Costs depend on:

• Collection process
• Lab processing technology
• Storage duration
• Type of sample (blood vs tissue)
• Accreditation and quality assurance

Typical Cost Breakdown

• Collection + Processing: ₹45,000 – ₹85,000
• Annual storage fee: ₹4,000 – ₹12,000
• Lifetime storage package: ₹80,000 – ₹1,50,000
• Most banks offer EMI plans to support affordability.

Types of Stem Cell Preservation Packages in India

1. Basic Cord Blood Preservation Package

• Cord blood collection
• Testing
• Separation
• Cryogenic storage
• Annual maintenance

Best for first-time parents who want essential coverage.

2. Cord Blood + Cord Tissue Package

• Blood processing
• Tissue processing
• Dual cryogenic storage
• Extended viability checks

Cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells useful in regenerative medicine, which makes this package slightly higher in cost.

3. Lifetime Stem Cell Storage Package

Instead of paying per year, parents pay once for lifelong storage. The package includes:

• One-time processing
• Cryogenic maintenance
• Emergency retrieval
• Routine quality checks

This package is ideal for parents who prefer no recurring annual charges.

Package Comparison

• Package Type Cost (India) What It Includes
• Basic Cord Blood ₹45,000 – ₹85,000 Collection, testing, processing, storage
• Cord Blood + Cord Tissue ₹70,000 – ₹1,20,000 Dual storage for blood + tissue
• Lifetime Storage ₹80,000 – ₹1,50,000 One-time fee for lifelong storage
• Annual Storage ₹4,000 – ₹12,000 yearly Yearly storage charges

Stem Cell Banking Costs may vary based on accreditation, technology, and duration.

How Indian Regulations Ensure Safe Stem Cell Storage

Stem cell banking in India is governed by strict guidelines from:

• ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)
• CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation)
• Safety protocols include:
• Quality control
• Accredited laboratories
• Sample viability monitoring
• Cryogenic storage compliance

These regulations protect your investment and ensure scientific, ethical, and safe practices.

Factors That Influence Stem Cell Preservation Cost

• Type of sample (cord blood vs tissue)
• Lab technology
• Accreditation (AABB, CAP, FACT)
• Storage duration
• Additional services like genetic screening
• Courier and emergency retrieval features
• Higher accreditation generally means higher cost due to advanced safety and testing systems.

How to Compare Packages Before Choosing?

Here are essential questions to ask:

• Does the bank have AABB or FACT accreditation?
• What separation technology is used?
• Are the storage facilities certified?
• How fast can samples be retrieved in an emergency?
• Does the package include insurance or coverage?
• Are EMI plans available?

Advantages of Stem Cell Preservation

• Immediate access to matched stem cells
• Safe and painless collection
• Useful in treating 80+ conditions
• Supports emerging regenerative therapies

India’s Rapid Adoption and Global Trends

India continues to grow in private stem cell banking, accredited storage systems, hospital collaborations and awareness programs. Globally, cord blood transplantation usage has increased steadily, as highlighted by the World Marrow Donor Association.

Here are Some Common FAQs on Cord Blood Banking

Choosing the Right Stem Cell Preservation Plan

Stem cell preservation is a long-term medical investment for your family. Understanding cost, package features, scientific relevance, and safety standards helps parents make informed choices.

When you compare pricing with quality, accreditation, and medical relevance, you ensure your decision aligns with your financial plans and long-term health priorities.

The post Stem Cell Preservation Cost and Packages in India: A Complete Guide for Parents-to-Be appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

Excitement, anticipation, and never-ending planning – when you are navigating pregnancy, you are likely to be impacted by these three aspects. There is always something to tick off, from nutrition and doctor visits to choosing a crib and packing your hospital bag. But among all of these important decisions, one indispensable step is frequently overlooked: stem cell banking during pregnancy. Thanks to advanced medical technology, the parents of today have the chance to keep the most powerful and lifesaving cells from their baby’s umbilical cord.

Considering cord blood banking on your pregnancy checklist is no longer just a fancy dream; it is actually a wise decision to store the stem cells that may provide the child with medical help in the future.

Here are the reasons why a rising number of expectant parents are opting for umbilical cord stem cell preservation and why you should be one of them.

Understanding Stem Cell Banking

Stem cell banking is the process by which blood and tissue from the umbilical cord of a newborn are collected and later stored. This blood is very rich in haematopoietic stem cells—cells that can be developed into different kinds of blood and immune cells. These stem cells can play useful roles in treating the most common diseases, and continuous research is revealing more medical uses for them.

In other words, something that is usually discarded can serve as a medical backup for your baby in the coming years. That’s where cord blood banking turns out to be a choice that really needs your consideration.

Why Add It to Pregnancy Checklist?

Most of the expectant parents come up with lists to keep track of things—prenatal vitamins, baby clothes, ultrasounds, and birth plans. Adding stem cell banking during pregnancy to that list is a way of ensuring that you do not forget this single opportunity. After all, it is a moment which you cannot repeat after the baby arrives and the cord is discarded.

Planning gives you the opportunity to:

• Enrol with a stem cell bank
• Discover the collection methods
• Clarify the details with your gynaecologist
• Get information about storage and costs

Turning this part of your pregnancy into a journey ensures that everything will go smoothly and without stress on the day of delivery.

The Advantages of Stem Cell Storage

The benefits of stem cell banking extend far beyond the idea of convenience.

Here are those reasons which drive many expectant parents to consider it as a health safeguard for their children in the future:

1. Treatment of Over 80 Different Medical Conditions

Nowadays, stem cells derived from the umbilical cord serve to treat diseases like leukaemia, lymphoma, thalassaemia, and a number of immune deficiencies. The list keeps extending as new therapies emerge.

2. The Best Possible Genetic Match

Biologically speaking, the cord blood of your infant is a one hundred per cent genetic match for your baby. This basically means that cells receive fewer rejections due to the immune response if necessary. Also, siblings may be compatible, thus creating another layer of security for the whole family.

3. Regenerative Medicine to Come

Stem cell research is rapidly advancing. Scientists are investigating potential future therapies to treat cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, Type 1 diabetes, and spinal cord injuries eventually. Keeping your child’s stem cells might be the key to medical breakthroughs in the future.

4. Collection is Convenient, Non-invasive, and Stress-free

Many people wonder if the preservation of umbilical cord stem cells is indeed safe for both mother and baby, and that is one of the biggest advantages of this method. The procedure takes place after delivery—whether it is vaginal or a C-section— and it doesn’t hinder the birthing process.

5. Biological Insurance for the Entire Life

Storing cells in a bank is analogous to obtaining biological insurance. Even if you never have to utilise the cells in the bank, the fact that they are there takes the worry off your shoulders and thus, you have peace of mind— stem cell storage being one of the potential supports your child could turn to in the future.

Where Is It Stored?

There are three ways to preserve it:

Free Public Cord Blood Banks

They do not charge for storage. The donation is available to any patient in need. The facility may also utilise the donated cord blood for research purposes.

Personal (commercial) Cord Blood Banks

They keep the blood reserved for the donor and his/her family only. They can be expensive. The facilities usually charge a certain amount for processing and storage.

Is Stem Cell Banking a Good Idea for Every Parent?

Despite the astonishing prospects, parents have to make the decision eventually on their own whether or not to bank stem cells. Some households opt for private banking for their own use, whereas others donate cord blood to public banks from where it will be accessible to anyone in need. Whatever decision you make, being aware of the issue is the first and most important step.

Final Thoughts

Pregnancy indeed requires a lot of planning, but hardly any decisions will have such a significant impact on your child’s health as the storing of stem cells.

While getting ready with your pregnancy checklist, consider adding cord blood banking to your list. The advantages of stem cell storage are quite extensive – the initial usage could be for the treatment of various severe medical conditions, and later on, the cells could act as an innovative regenerative medicine.

There is no doubt that the umbilical cord of your baby is more than just a physical connection. In fact, it could be a lifeline. If you decide to do stem cell banking while pregnant, you are offering your baby an invaluable gift which, perhaps, will be the reason for his/her survival someday.

The post Why Stem Cell Banking Should Be Part of Your Pregnancy Checklist appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

The delivery room is a silent witness to the arrival of a new life. The baby comes into the world. As a rule, the cord is severed and discarded. Even a few years back, many parents were ignorant of its implications in life. If preserved, it could be a potential medical tool, thanks to its benign impact in treating many medical conditions. Preserved cord blood can be effective in many ways.

Nonetheless, parents are often stuck on the decision between private and public banking. Many parents are unsure whether to preserve stem cells privately or donate them publicly. The debate gets louder. The choices become more difficult. And the myths continue to revolve.

Let’s explore the facts of blood banking, practical insights, and the truth behind misconceptions.

Why Cord Blood Banking Matters

Cord blood carries stem cells with remarkable potential. These stem cells can repair damaged tissues.  They are used in treating more than 80 different medical conditions, e.g., cancers of the blood, metabolic and immune disorders.

Worldwide, the use of umbilical cord blood banking is gaining increasing interest. According to the Parents’ Guide to Cord Blood Foundation, the number of cord blood transplants performed globally has already exceeded 40,000. The demand increases as more research is conducted.¹

Private stem cell banking is the next step, meaning the cells are protected for the family’s personal use. In effect, it is a biological safety net. It retains life-saving stem cells that can be used to treat many diseases and conditions.  

Why Consider Private Banking Over Public Banking?

Public​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ cord blood banking is a great way to support community health. However, it is not without its risks. For example, the donated units may not work for another person. Moreover, they are not available when needed in most cases.

Conversely, private banking is without such risks. So, it locks in access to the newborn’s stem cells. Only the family reserves the right to use the cells. It is also very convenient as you do not have to wait for your turn. If the unit is there, you get it immediately.

Why parents choose private cord blood banking:

• First of all, it guarantees full ownership and control.
• Secondly, it makes a perfect genetic match for the child.
• Moreover, it offers strong compatibility for siblings and parents.
• Besides, it promotes future regenerative therapies under study.
• Additionally, it offers long-term cord blood preservation in good condition with the help of different monitored methods.

Myths and Facts About Cord Blood Banking

Parents are bombarded with doubts, conflicting opinions, and untruths. Let’s explore the cord blood banking myths and truths:

Myth 1: Cord blood is rarely useful.

Fact: The use of blood stem cells is expanding as it can treat a variety of diseases. Some common medical conditions that are treatable include leukaemia, lymphoma, inherited metabolic diseases, and immune deficiency. Modern research continues to explore new therapeutic routes. People will continue to benefit from stem cell preservation as more advanced therapies evolve.

Myth 2: Public banking offers the same advantages.

Fact: The money saved by using a public bank benefits many, but that does not guarantee future access to that bank. Once donated, the unit can be used anywhere. Parents don’t have any control over the use of the blood. On the other hand, the private bank provides ready access in case of an emergency. Thus, it constitutes an essential element of long-term preparedness for health problems.

Myth 3: Stem cells from cord blood expire quickly.

Fact: Cryopreservation is the method that allows for long-term cord blood preservation. Most viability tests on samples preserved for over 20 years display that they are still functional. Additionally, the labs consolidate the preservation methods to keep the samples potent and stable.

Myth 4: Collecting cord blood is unsafe.

Fact: It is a simple, safe execution. The only time it is done is after delivery, when the cord is already detached. No damage happens to the mother and the baby, thanks to the advanced technique of severing the cord. The healthcare professionals perform the procedure with sterile instruments, using care and precision.

Myth 5: Stem cell banking is only for rare cases.

Fact: Medical needs are the most unforeseen and unpredictable. Those who bank cord blood do so as a means of precaution. Given the rapid advances in genetics, the immune system, and regenerative medicine, the preservation of stem cells may open new avenues for future treatments.

Clearing the Air: The Truth About Cord Blood Banking

One of the most overriding factors hindering the progress of scientific research is the widespread common misconceptions about cord blood. Nevertheless, evidence shows quite the opposite. There are several reasons why private banking is a better option. No wonder the heightened control for users, along with the consequent reliability and benefits, make it an automatic choice for prospective parents. Private cord blood banking helps ensure that you maintain a source of stem cells with unlimited potential for life. This is especially true in regenerative medicine, where these stem cells are used to support therapies and other treatments.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the myths and facts about cord blood banking helps parents make informed decisions. Private stem cell banking is a far better option than a mere public donation when considered together. It is the best way to protect one’s biological future as a family. It provides freedom, compatibility, and long-term safety. And it also ensures that these potent stem cells will be available for tomorrow’s medical breakthroughs.

The post Myths vs Facts: What Parents Should Know About Cord Blood Banking appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

Banking umbilical cord blood stem cells is a notable development in medicine that has occurred recently. It provides families with a hopeful way to protect their health in the future. The blood from the umbilical cord, which is collected when a baby is born, contains a high concentration of stem cells. These cells can be used to help treat some serious illnesses. If you’re going to be a parent, knowing about umbilical cord blood stem cell banking can really matter, as medical issues are becoming increasingly complex.

What’s Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking?

Typically, the leftover materials, such as the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby is born, are simply discarded. But the blood in that cord is full of stem cells. These are extremely important because they serve as the foundation for your immune system and blood. They can regenerate and rebuild damaged cells. That’s why they help treat over 80 different harmful disorders including problems with the immune system, genetic issues, and certain cancers.

Banking umbilical cord blood stem cells means collecting and storing those cells in a specialised facility so they can be used later if needed. The collection process is quick and doesn’t hurt the mother or the baby.

Why Cord Blood Banking Matters

The importance of cord blood banking is huge. It matters because it could provide your child or someone else in your family with a lifesaving resource. Stem cells can turn into all sorts of different cells in your body, like blood, bone, heart, and nerve cells. Because they can renew and differentiate into other cell types, they can help treat many life-threatening illnesses.

Additionally, cord blood stem cells are younger and have greater potential than stem cells from other sources, such as bone marrow. This makes it easier to find a good match and means your body is less likely to fight against them if you need a transplant.

What Cord Blood Can Be Used For

Doctors use cord blood stem cells to help with:

• Blood problems like anaemia, lymphoma, and leukaemia
• Genetic disorders like sickle cell disease and Hurler’s syndrome
• Metabolic and Immune disorders.

Researchers are also investigating whether cord blood stem cells can be used for conditions such as diabetes, heart issues, and strokes. This means that storing cord blood now could open up chances for medical advancements we can’t even imagine yet.

One of the best reasons to consider cord blood banking is its potential benefits for the future. Researchers are always trying to find new ways to use stem cells, such as:

• Rebuilding treatments for things like spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s
• Treating the heart after a heart attack or stroke
• Treating body problems like Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis

As science gets better, there’s almost no limit to what cord blood stem cells could do to treat illnesses in the future. By saving them now, parents are giving their families access to these future medical discoveries.

Why Store Stem Cells?

Storing stem cells offers numerous benefits, making it a wise choice for families.

• Perfect Match for Your Baby: The stem cells are from your baby’s own cord blood, so they’re a perfect match. This makes it less likely that their body will reject them if they need a transplant.
  
• Could Help Family Members: Sometimes, even a partial match is good enough for treatment. Therefore, brothers, sisters, and even parents may be able to utilise the stored stem cells.
  
• Simple and Safe Collection: The process of collecting cord blood is painless for both the mother and the baby. It is quick, easy, and done immediately after the baby is born.
  
• Prevention of Future Illness: Advances in medicine have shown that cord blood stem cells have various potential uses. By preserving them now, you are securing a valuable health asset for the future.

What are the Key Differences Between Public and Private Cord Blood Banking?

You can donate your baby’s cord blood to a public bank. It’s free, and the cord blood can help anyone who needs a transplant. These donations are listed on registries such as Be The Match®. When you donate it, you don’t own the cord blood anymore, and there’s no guarantee that your family can use it later. It’s available for anyone needing a transplant or for research.

On the other hand, private cord blood banking requires you to pay processing and yearly storage fees. The stem cells are only for your family. This gives you guaranteed access, but it costs a lot. Private banks will store cord blood no matter how many cells there are, but public banks have high standards for what they’ll use for transplants. Public banks help more patients get access to needed resources, while private banks offer families a kind of personal backup plan.

How Do Advancements in Stem Cell Research Increase Its Importance?

 Advancements in stem cell research are enhancing the value of cord blood banking. Innovations such as iPSCs and improved cell replication techniques enable doctors to repair or replace damaged tissues for various conditions, including brain diseases, cancer, and immune disorders. The ability to generate more therapeutic cells from cord blood is paving the way for gene therapies and novel treatments in the future. As our knowledge expands, stored cord blood is becoming an increasingly valuable resource for treating individuals and providing personalised medicine.

Why Should Parents Consider Cord Blood Banking?

Deciding to bank cord blood is a thoughtful and wise decision for parents to make. It’s simply because it’s a chance that only comes once and can’t be done again.

Think of it like health insurance that could protect your family or child from unexpected health problems later on. Even if you hope you never need it, having these stem cells saved can make you feel a lot better.

Bottom Line

Umbilical cord blood stem cell banking is a powerful way to protect your family’s health as healthcare evolves rapidly. It promises new medical advances along with current medical security.

Preserving the fundamental elements of life, such as stem cells that have the potential to repair, regenerate, and ultimately save lives, is the key significance of cord blood banking. Whether you see it as something you feel good about doing or as a wise investment, the good things about stem cell banking can’t be denied.

Knowing what umbilical cord blood can do and why saving stem cells is beneficial, parents can make an informed choice that could really matter when it counts. Basically, cord blood banking is about keeping hope, health, and the promise of a better, healthier future – it’s not just about saving cells.

The post Why Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking is Important? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

In India, the idea of stem cell banking has begun to attract widespread interest from prospective parents. Given the potential of cord blood stem cells to treat life-threatening illnesses, many families find value in the idea of storing their newborn’s umbilical cord blood. But, the most pressing concern is whether stem cell banking is viable for middle-class families in India?

In this blog, we will examine the cost of stem cell banking, other factors, available banking options and the viability of stem cell banking for middle-class families to understand it better.

What Are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are unique cells with two key abilities: they can create copies of themselves (self-renewal) and transform into other types of cells (differentiation). Found in nearly all body tissues, they’re essential for tissue upkeep and injury repair.

Their potential varies depending on their location. For instance, blood stem cells in bone marrow can produce all types of blood cells. Stem cells can also turn into brain, heart, bone, or other cell types.

What Is Stem Cell Banking and Why Does It Matter? 

Stem cell banking is when stem cells are collected and preserved from a newborn’s umbilical cord blood. Stem cells can treat over 80 diseases, including certain cancers, blood and immune system disorders. 

Parents in India, especially in the middle class, see this as both a medical protection and an investment for the baby’s future health. However, the cost factor often remains a challenge.

How Much Does Stem Cell Banking Cost in India?

 Stem cell banking costs in India are determined by the bank, storage duration and the type of plan selected. Typically, the price for cord blood banking in India is about ₹50,000 to ₹1,50,000 for long-term preservation.  In addition to cord blood stored in India, there are yearly maintenance fees for storage, which range between ₹4,000 and ₹10,000. In order to avoid recurring fees, some banks offer a single lifetime storage option.

Private vs Public Stem Cell Banking Cost: What’s the Difference?

When considering banking stem cells, parents often weigh the costs of private versus public stem cell banking. With Public Stem Cell Banking, there’s no cost, but the stored stem cells become part of a public registry, and you may not be able to access them personally.

With Private Stem Cell Banking, the stem cells are stored exclusively for the use of the child and family, but substantial fees apply for processing and storage. Public banking may seem more affordable for financially constrained middle-class families, but unlike private banks, it does not offer the exclusivity and guaranteed access.

Is Stem Cell Banking Worth It For Parents In India?

The decision often comes down to whether the investment is justified. For many, the question arises whether stem cell banking is worth it for Indian parents.

The answer lies in perspective. Medical research shows that growing applications of stem cells in treatments make a potentially life-saving resource. On the other hand, stem cell preservation is pricey in India. This makes it tough for middle-class families who are already dealing with many household expenses.

EMI and Instalment Plans: Making Stem Cell Banking Affordable

To make stem cell banking more accessible, many banks now offer an EMI Facility. This allows families to split the initial cost over a period, typically from 6 to 24 months. Some banks even offer these plans at zero or low-interest rates.

This helps parents manage the costs without straining their finances. By choosing a stem cell banking plan that fits their budget, families can invest in their child’s health without financial stress.

Pricing for Storing Umbilical Cord Blood in India 

The pricing in India for storing umbilical cord blood involves: 

• Processing Fees – This is extracted during the birth for extraction and testing. 
• Storage Fees – These charges are either yearly or as a single yearly payment. 

Certain banks provide combined offers which help save costs in the future. For example, a single payment for 20 years of storage is often cheaper than a yearly payment plan.

Middle-Class Families Choosing Stem Cell Banking: A Growing Trend 

There has been an increase in the number of middle-class families choosing stem cell banking despite budget issues. This change is due to increased awareness, more flexible payment options, and the emergence of affordable stem cell banking. Many families consider it a one-off health investment, similar to insurance. It is also perceived as a “biological insurance” that could help the child and sometimes even siblings and parents. 

Factors Affecting Stem Cell Banking Price in India 

• Bank Reputation: Trustworthy and established banks may charge more due to dependable and better facilities. 
• Technology Used: More advanced technology used for processing and storage raises the price.
• Duration of Storage: Long-term storage packages are more expensive in the short-term but more cost-effective in the long-term. 
• Additional Services: Charges increase when some banks offer services like genetic testing or preservation of maternal health. 

To find affordable stem cell banks in India, parents will need to research what different providers offer.

Is This Service Economically Feasible in India?

For a few families, we can say yes, in India, stem cell banking is affordable: The few who equate the costs with health security probably find stem cell banking’s EMI and instalment plans priced reasonably.

For a few families, the answer is no: few middle-class families can afford hundreds of dollars in relinquishment and storage fees, considering the average annual income and the increasing cost of living. It is a personal choice, influenced by individual financial situation, appreciation of the probable medical value, and confidence in the stem cell bank.

What Factors Should Parents Consider When Stem Cell Banking Value Most?

If you are considering stem cell banking, follow these suggestions:

• Compare Stem Cell Banks – Negotiate with a few stem cell banks and check what each bank has to offer.
• Explore EMI Options – Inquire about stem cell banking EMI plans, if available, as a means of lessening financial strain.
• Clarify Ownership – Understand and distinguish annual storage fees and lifetime storage fees, and what applies to relinquished stem cells.
• Determine Prestige – Ensure the stem cell bank is accredited and has worldwide recognition.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, stem cell banking is a great step forward in medicine and has a lot of potential. The cost is still a big issue for many middle-class families. But with EMI options and more affordable plans, it’s becoming more available.

Deciding whether to invest in stem cell banking comes down to what’s most important to you. Is it a long-term health safety net, or would the money be better spent somewhere else? If parents can afford it, stem cell banking can offer reassurance and a way to protect their child’s health in the future.

The post Is Stem Cell Banking Affordable for Middle-Class Families in India? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

One decision in the moments after childbirth can have a real impact: when to cut the umbilical cord. Doctors used to clamp it almost right away, often in less than 30 seconds. The demand for delayed cord clamping is increasing. This involves waiting a bit longer before cutting the cord, allowing more blood to flow from the placenta to the baby.

Moreover, this process has been shown to provide numerous benefits to the newborn, such as increased iron levels and improved overall health outcomes. It is important for parents to discuss their preferences regarding cord clamping with their healthcare provider before delivery.

This short delay can have lasting benefits. Parents often ask, What exactly is delayed cord clamping? How long should we wait? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Knowing the facts helps families make confident choices.

What Is Delayed Cord Clamping?

Delayed cord clamping is simply waiting to cut the umbilical cord after the baby is born. Instead of clamping within the first 30 seconds, doctors or midwives usually wait between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. In some cases, they wait until the cord stops pulsing on its own.

This short delay allows more oxygen and nutrients to reach the baby. The blood also contains stem cells, which help with growth, healing, and the immune system.

Early vs. Delayed Cord Clamping

• Early clamping: Cutting the cord within 15 to 30 seconds is the more traditional approach.
• Delayed clamping: Cutting the cord after 30 to 180 seconds, or longer.

The medical world has shifted toward delayed cord cutting, as early clamping was once standard. Research shows babies benefit from those extra moments through better iron storage, blood moving more freely, and a lower chance of anaemia.

Benefits of Waiting

The good things about waiting are well-known, mostly for babies:

• Better iron: More red blood cells mean a lower chance of anaemia.
• More blood: Helps keep blood working well and getting oxygen where it needs to go right after birth.
• Stem cells: Help tissue repair and the body’s defence system.
• Protection for preemies: Can help protect premature babies from some gut and brain issues.

Potential Downsides

While most births can safely use delayed cord clamping, there are a few possible problems:

• Jaundice: More red blood cells might raise the risk of jaundice, sometimes requiring light therapy.
• Polycythaemia: Rarely, too many red blood cells can thicken the blood.
• Emergency needs: Waiting might not be possible if the baby needs immediate care.

Most experts agree that the risks are small compared to the benefits.

How Long to Wait?

There’s no perfect time that fits everyone. The baby’s health, the delivery situation, and the doctor’s advice all matter.

• Groups like ACOG and WHO suggest waiting at least 30 to 60 seconds.
• Many hospitals use this as standard for healthy, full-term babies.
• Some doctors prefer to wait until the cord stops pulsing for the best blood flow.
• Families should discuss their preferred timing with their medical team ahead of time.

Recommendations

Several major health groups now recommend delayed clamping:

• World Health Organisation (WHO): Wait one to three minutes unless the baby needs help right away.
• ACOG: Wait at least 30 to 60 seconds for healthy newborns.
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG): Advises waiting at least two minutes.

These similar instructions show that delayed cord clamping is now based on proof and widely accepted.

Stem Cell Banking

Some wonder if delaying cord clamping means less blood for stem cell banking. If more blood goes to the baby, there might be less to collect. However, you can download our stem cell banking guide here.

However, many families find a good balance. It’s often possible to do both banking and delayed clamping with some planning. Talk openly with your healthcare provider and the cord blood bank before delivery.

Why Choose Delayed Cord Clamping?

Parents choose to delay cord clamping for reasons like:

• Giving their baby more iron and nutrients naturally.
• Following expert medical advice.
• Aiding better long-term health, mostly for babies born early.

It is a simple step that doesn’t cost much but could have lasting positive effects.

Conclusion

Delayed cord clamping is becoming more common in hospitals worldwide. It gives babies more oxygen-rich blood, stem cells, and important nutrients, while the risks remain low. Additionally, it can help prevent iron deficiency anaemia and improve cognitive development in the long run. This is the best practice recommended by medical professionals, and it is a simple way to give babies a healthier start in life. It’s your time now to secure your baby’s stem cells with us.

Every birth is different, so parents should think about their own wishes, health situations, and medical advice when deciding. Working with their medical team helps families choose what’s best for their baby’s birth. Let’s remember that delayed cord clamping is a personal decision that should be made with careful consideration. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure the best possible outcome for both the baby and the mother.

The post Delayed Cord Clamping: What You Need to Know appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

The pluripotency of umbilical cord blood stem cells has made it indispensable for regenerative medical practices. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, a therapy for effectively treating over 80 serious diseases, has made treatment and cure a reality for millions. The human therapeutic potential displayed by umbilical cord blood stem cells has opened up avenues for new treatment techniques and for reaching new horizons in further research and understanding of its potential. The Benefits of preserving cord blood stem cells are numerous and ensure a healthier life for the modern population

Benefits of Preserving Stem Cells with Reputable Cord Blood Banks:

Lifesaving Potential

One of the first benefits of preserving cord blood stem cells is that the umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells that has the potential to treat over 80 terminal diseases- including cancer, blood and immune disorders. These cord blood stem cells strengthen the immune system, thus offering the patient the gift of a healthy life.

Easy Collection

Collecting umbilical cord blood stem cells, being non-invasive, is a painless procedure and does not have any adverse effects on the newborn. The cryopreservation of the collected sample in the high-end facilities of Cordlife is a technological feat ensuring future medical assurance.

Stringent Criteria for Cord Blood Preservation:

The trained technicians at Cordlife collect cord blood right after the delivery. The collected cord blood is safely transported to the bank’s facility, where the sample is thoroughly tested,  processed followed by cryo-preservation in the state-of-the-art facilities using liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees Celsius. The entire procedure adheres to world-class gold standards. This is how Cordlife ensures safe stem cell storage while maintaining the viability of the stem cells.

Easy to Access

One of the Advantages of Cordlife over other stem cell banks is that Cordlife maintains stringent safety standards. This makes storage, preservation and withdrawal at the time of need a streamlined process. The concerned family can easily access and retrieve the matching cord blood units without hassle.

Future Benefits for the Baby

The child’s own cord blood stem cells are a hundred per cent match for an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant. Autologous Transplant means the donor and the recipient are the same person. The cord blood stem cells that are collected and preserved from the baby’s umbilical cord do not require strict matching criteria as compared to a bone marrow stem cell transplant. By storing them with Cordlife, these valuable stem cells are preserved for potential medical use when required.

Potential Match for the Family

Stem cells can repair and restructure the damaged cells in the child and other family members, siblings, parents and grandparents. Cord blood Stem cell uses in treating diseases do not require a perfect match, and in case a family member suffers from genetic conditions like certain leukaemias or hereditary blood disorders, they could safely rely on the baby’s cord blood stem cell transplants for treatment.

Documentation and Registration

When considering the option of preserving your baby’s stem cells with Cordlife during a debate, the straightforward response would be that storing the baby’s cord blood with reputable private stem cell banks like Cordlife ensures proper registration and documentation, as well as easy access to the stored sample for the child in the future.

Therapeutic Potential

Umbilical cord blood can differentiate into various types of blood cells, namely, white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. One of the top reasons to choose Cordlife stem cell storage is that it can save lives by providing safe treatment.

Safe for Allogeneic Transplants

The recipient of umbilical cord blood stem cells has fewer complications called graft-versus-host disease, which makes the stem cells safe for allogeneic transplants, such as a transplant between siblings. Two full siblings have a 25% chance of being a perfect match and a 50% chance of being a partial match.

Future Prospects

With Science progressing in leaps and bounds, a number of clinical trials have been undertaken with umbilical cord blood and cord tissue stem cells – these include clinical trials for blood disorders, as well as for neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, stroke, brain injury, etc. Thus,the Long-term value of cord blood preservation will rise as the future prospects for stem cell use widen.

Long-term Storage

Cordlife ensures that the stem cells are stored in meticulously labelled special protective cases immersed in cryo-preservation tanks, in vapourised liquid nitrogen at approximately -196 degrees Celsius. This ensures the viability of the stem cells even after twenty years.

Infrastructure

Cordlife has world-class infrastructure that aligns with the important task of preserving cord blood stem cells for millions of families across the country. The facilities are self-sufficient in power generation to avoid disasters like power failure.

Financial Assistance

Cordlife provides financial assistance for a stem cell transplant. The company also provides transportation liability from the lab to the transplant centre.

Conclusion

The Cordlife stem cell banking benefits are no less than a promise to offer lifelong protection. With a proven track record, Cordlife ensures the use of advanced storage technology.

The post 13 Reasons To Preserve Your Baby’s Stem Cells With Cordlife appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

The umbilical cord is often discarded as medical waste after a baby is born. However, there is a potent source of stem cells in that cord that could improve the child’s and even their family members’ health outcomes. Parents can preserve these cells for future treatments through umbilical cord stem cell banking. Choosing a private bank is essential for special benefits. Let us explore the causes of popular trends and the benefits they offer to families.

Knowing the Science Behind Cord Blood

Cord blood is rich in haematopoietic stem cells, which play a crucial role in the immune and blood systems. These cells can regenerate and repair, making them vital for treating various conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma, immunological deficiencies, and specific metabolic disorders. Ongoing research is exploring the potential benefits of cord blood for conditions like cerebral palsy, type 1 diabetes, and autism spectrum disorders.

Why Consider Private Cord Blood Banking?

Parents often wonder why they should go for private cord blood banks over public registers. One reason is, of course, certainty and exclusivity. By preserving your baby’s cord blood in a private facility, you can ensure access to the ideal sibling match in the future. On the other hand, using public banks may require you to negotiate their limited availability or struggle to find the right donor match.

Benefits of Private Cord Blood Banking

Families that opt for private storage gain access to a special safety net. The following are some benefits of stem cell preservation in a private bank:

Instant Access: Families do not have to wait for a donor to obtain the preserved cells in an emergency.

Personalised Care: The cells are a complete genetic match for the child, and they may also be a partial match for parents and siblings.

Increased Therapeutic Options: As regenerative medicine advances, these cells might eventually be employed in experimental treatments.

Benefits of Preserving Stem Cells

Is stem cell banking worth it? The answer is a big yes. The long-term potential of stem cell preservation is one of its biggest benefits. The stem cells are extracted during birth in a risk-free, painless procedure. They can survive for decades after being cryopreserved. Families can rest easy knowing they have a lifetime medical resource thanks to this.

Furthermore, research on stem cells is advancing quickly. Clinical trials are investigating the potential of these cells to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and spinal cord injuries. Families find themselves in a position to benefit from future medical advancements by protecting them now.

Storage of Cord Blood in a Private Bank

By selecting private bank services for cord blood storage, you are prioritising your family’s health and safety. Private banks use cutting-edge cryogenic facilities to preserve the cells for decades while ensuring strict compliance with safety rules. Additionally, these banks grant specific access rights, ensuring that only your family will have access to the stem cells.

Public vs. Private Cord Blood Bank

New parents often argue over private and public options for cord blood banking. While public banking helps the community by providing stem cells to those in need, there is no assurance that your child’s cells will eventually be available. On the other hand, cord blood storage in a private bank preserves those cells exclusively for your family. Private storage ensures individual control, which many parents consider an investment in health security, even though public donation is commendable.

Use of Cord Blood in the Future

Cord blood will have many more uses in the future than it does now. Preserving stem cells now could be crucial in developing innovative regenerative treatments in the upcoming decades. Researchers are looking into precise treatments for genetic disorders, organ repair, and tissue regeneration. Therefore, for families, banking cord blood is about unlocking potential therapies that have not yet made it into mainstream medicine, not just about current treatments.

Does Stem Cell Banking Make Sense?

The question of whether stem cell banking is worthwhile still haunts many families. Priorities determine the response. Although not all families will require their stored cord blood in the future, those that do frequently find it to be extremely helpful. Think of it as a health insurance policy, something you are thankful to have in case of an emergency but hope to never use. Private banking often proves to be a wise decision when weighed against the expense of possible treatments, long waiting times for donor matches, or the possibility of incompatibility.

Long-Term Advantages of Banking Stem Cells

The long-term benefits of stem cell banking are indisputable. These consist of:

Protection from uncommon illnesses: Families receive a customised resource for illnesses where stem cell transplants can save lives.

Family-wide applicability: Parents or siblings may also use the stored cells in addition to the child.

Peace of mind: The knowledge that, in the event of medical difficulties, a workable treatment option is accessible.

Future innovations: Families with stored cord blood will be among the first to benefit from newly approved therapies.

Bottom Line

More than just a medical choice, preserving umbilical cord blood through a private bank is an active investment in the long-term health of your family. The decision to bank stem cells is gaining traction due to the increasing amount of evidence demonstrating the benefits of cord blood in treating illnesses as well as the fascinating research being done in regenerative medicine. The long-term potential for life-saving and life-enhancing treatments makes private storage a worthwhile option.

Umbilical cord stem cell banking is a gift of foresight for parents weighing their options. It protects a rare biological resource that could be very valuable in the future. The advantages of keeping stem cells in a private bank are obvious, regardless of whether the objective is to embrace medical advancements in the future or to guard against life-threatening diseases and secure your baby’s future health today.

The post Benefits Of Preserving Umbilical Cord Stem Cells In a Private Bank! appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

A birth marks a new beginning for the baby and the parents. It is also an opportunity to ensure a lifetime of medical security for the baby and the entire family, which means Stem cell banking. With the ability to regenerate healthy blood and immune systems, stem cells have the potential to develop into specialised cells like blood cells, brain cells, and muscle cells, enabling personalised treatments. This blog will explore the significance of stem cell banking in today’s world.

What are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are distinctive by virtue of their ability to self-renew, which means they can create more stem cells. They can additionally develop into various cell forms through a process called differentiation. You can find stem cells in almost every part of the body. One of the key sources of stem cells is newborns’ umbilical cord blood. It is collected immediately after birth. Stem cells from cord blood rarely carry any infectious diseases and are not likely to be rejected, unlike adult stem cells. This makes stem cells flexible enough to treat diseases that were heretofore considered incurable.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplants are vital for people with blood cancer, genetic disorders, blood diseases, and some immune system problems that weaken the body’s defences.

What is Stem Cell Banking?

Stem cell banking, also known as cord blood banking, involves a systematic procedure of registration and enrollment in advance. On the day of the delivery, a trained technician from the stem cell bank collects the cord blood as soon as the baby is born. This sample is collected in a sterilised bag and promptly transported to the cord blood bank’s laboratory, where it undergoes thorough quality checks and extensive testing. The sample is then processed to isolate and minimise the number of stem cells. Finally, the processed cord blood, which now contains viable stem cells, is frozen at a controlled rate using liquid nitrogen in the vapour phase at a temperature of around -196 degrees Celsius. These securely preserved stem cells can be used for both autologous and allogeneic transplants years later.

Cordlife has excellent facilities dedicated to long-term storage of over 6 lakh stem cell samples, offering families a ready source of a potentially life-saving resource while minimising the risk of Graft-versus-host disease. Stem cell banking involves the collection, safe storage, and prompt delivery of stem cell samples to the family when needed.

Why should Stem Cells be Banked?

The Benefits of stem cell preservation for newborns are that these cells can self-renew, thus enabling them to repair or replace damaged cells. They offer the baby and their immediate family proper treatment and potential cure from over 80 diseases.

The ongoing, extensive research in the field of regenerative medicine has helped explore the potential of stem cells to treat various diseases and even injuries. The importance of stem cells for future treatments has seen a steep rise based on this research. Hence, securing the newborn’s future health with cord blood banking is prudent beyond doubt.

Advantages of Stem Cell Banking

One of the advantages of umbilical cord blood banking is that this system offers a ready resource to secure against future medical emergencies. 

Long-term Viability

There are Long-term benefits of cord blood storage; it can be stored for over 20 years, thus providing lifelong medical relief for the individual and their family. 

Compatibility

Stem cells are employed to treat the baby, their siblings, parents and even grandparents. This is how stem cell banking secures your child’s future alongside the entire family’s health.

Conclusion

Stored stem cells have various uses, serving as both a treatment for diseases and a tool for understanding disease mechanisms, ultimately leading to better medical outcomes. Secure your baby’s cord blood stem cells with us now.

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Umbilical cord blood stem cell banking is a novel and important innovation in healthcare that provides families with a great opportunity to protect their baby’s health in the future. Stem cells that are saved at birth could be used to treat more than 80 diseases, like blood malignancies, immunological abnormalities, and genetic issues. Choosing the proper place for stem cell banking in India is quite important because there are so many possibilities. This blog goes into great detail about why Cordlife is the best choice for many people and what makes it better than other providers.

How is Cordlife a Trusted Leader in Stem Cell Banking in India?

The company has been in the business of cord blood banking in India for more than 20 years. They are committed to safety, reliability, and cutting-edge technology, which has changed the way newborn stem cells are stored. When parents think about private stem cell banking, it is very important to choose a reliable organisation. Clinical success and strict quality standards are very important since stem cells need to be alive and strong when they are needed.

As of 2025, the company is known as one of India’s most trustworthy stem cell banks. It has received international recognition, such as AABB accreditation, ISO certification, and US-FDA registration. These certifications place them in a group of top healthcare service providers whose processes and storage facilities meet international gold standards. Clients can feel protected about their baby’s stem cells because they are so compliant.

What are the Advantages of Choosing Cordlife Stem Cell Banking?

Exclusive Rights For Life

Cordlife guarantees that you will always own and have access to your baby’s stem cells, giving families peace of mind that these valuable resources will be there when they need them.

They use the most advanced methods for collecting and storing stem cells. The umbilical cord blood collection kit is made to keep the cells safe, and the processing uses the most up-to-date technology to make sure the stem cells are as good as they can be.

CFU Assay and HLA Typing

These two crucial procedures check the strength and compatibility of the stem cells exactly after they are stored. HLA typing, for example, saves a lot of time during transplantation by figuring out ahead of time if the stored stem cells will work with the recipient.

Additional Storage Plans

They offer extended stem cell storage plans that last up to 54 years beyond the first term. This gives families long-term stability as their medical needs change and their lives get longer.

Cordlife offers affordable stem cell banking in India without sacrificing quality. This makes it possible for a wide range of families to find the best stem cell banking solutions.

Financial Help

The company also provides financial assistance of up to ₹25 Lakhs during transplant or therapy, which can help with the costs of stem cell therapy in the future if needed.

How Does Cordlife Compare to Other Stem Cell Banks in India?

When you compare Cordlife and other competitors, you can see that the former is the ideal pick for a number of reasons:

Proven Track Record

They have a long history of successful tales about preserving and using stem cells, including transplants that saved lives. One success story that stands out is that of a child with thalassemia.

In mid-2002, Eugene’s mother became pregnant with a second child and wanted to store their cord blood with Cordlife.  Since Eugene was a 100% match for the baby’s cord blood, the transplant would be more likely to succeed.  Healthy cells from his sister repopulated his bone marrow and regenerated his immune system, which had been decimated by leukaemia treatment and radiotherapy.¹

Strict Quality and Safety Protocols

Their  “stem cell storage method” follows WHO-GMP standards to the letter, making sure that umbilical cord blood units are safely transported, processed, and stored in cryogenic conditions.

Enrollment and Support Focused on the Customer

The enrollment process is easy to follow and comes with expert help, so expecting parents do not have to worry about it. Families get free consultations to learn more about the benefits of stem cell banking.

International Recognition

Their stem cell units have a better chance of being accepted by transplant doctors around the world because they are registered with CAP, AABB, and the FDA. This is better than units maintained in banks that are not certified.

Advanced Technology

The company uses the AXP II Automated Processing System to improve the quality of extraction and the recovery of stem cells. This cutting-edge method makes stem cell preservation more effective and reliable than that of several competitors.

Is Cordlife a Reliable Place to Store Stem Cells in India?

Yes, for sure. Independent reviews and customer testimonies say that Cordlife is the top stem cell bank in India. They applaud the bank for being professional, communicating clearly, and being scientifically sound. The company is a top player in the stem cell banking industry due to its numerous accreditations, utilisation of advanced technology, and prioritisation of patient care. You can download our stem cell banking guide.

The cost of storing cord blood stem cells in India might vary, but the company offers reasonable plans with lifelong choices that make it possible for many families to use them. Because it has a good reputation as a stable stem cell bank, investing in stem cell preservation is a good idea for future therapy needs.

Why is Banking Stem Cells Early Important for the Future of Therapy?

Stem cell therapy is becoming more popular as research continues to find novel ways to treat neurodegenerative illnesses, autoimmune diseases, and other conditions. Banking umbilical cord blood stem cells today is a smart health option that keeps the door open to new treatments in the future.

Cordlife stem cell banking in India is a highly advantageous choice since it offers certified quality, the latest technology, a lot of experience, and financial protection. It is a reliable way to protect your child’s health and happiness, and it is better than many other service providers on the market.

The company is the best alternative for families seeking an economical stem cell bank in India that does not compromise on quality or trust. Their stem cell banking services give you peace of mind about your child’s health in the future and their potential, based on research, care, and global recognition.

Are you thinking about cord blood banking? Find out more about how their stores stem cells and see for yourself why it is the most trusted stem cell bank. Secure your baby’s cord blood stem cells with us now.

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The possibility of a curative stem cell treatment for thalassaemia offers hope to families navigating the complexities of this genetic blood condition that demands ongoing medical attention. Currently, the only successful route to thalassaemia treatment is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) or a medical procedure where the patient receives healthy blood-forming stem cells from either a sibling or an unrelated person with a close genetic match. When deciding on the best source of stem cells for thalassaemia, cord blood, which requires a less stringent matching and has a lower risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), is often a unanimous choice.

Stem Cell Source for Thalassaemia Treatment

According to some studies, more than 10,000 children are born each year in India with thalassaemia. Thankfully, the thalassaemia stem cell transplant success rate for such disease, alongside other medical conditions like genetic blood disorder and even certain types of cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and leukaemia, both malignant and non-malignant, has consistently risen over the years.

However, with only 25% of chances of a sibling being the preferred match, the demand for matched unrelated donors is increasing. That said, the chances of HLA mismatch are not to be ruled out. The lack of compatibility between the donor and recipient in a stem cell transplant significantly affects graft survival and recipient outcomes.

Role of Sibling Cord Blood Stem Cells in Treating Thalassaemia

The life-saving stem cells in cord blood collected from a sibling are one of the most promising remedies when treating thalassaemia. A sibling cord blood transplantation, when done early, can offer a permanent cure. With a 25% chance of being a suitable match, the sibling stem cell donor for thalassaemia is the most reliable source of stem cells for treatment.

Collected from the umbilical cord blood, these stem cells are transplanted into the affected individual. A rich source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), sibling cord blood is most likely to be an HLA (human leukocyte antigen) match, which is crucial for successful transplantation and for minimising complications like graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

Potential Challenges with Public Cord Blood Banks

When stuck in an argument on the topic of public cord blood bank vs. sibling donor, it is best to weigh both sides to make a prudent choice. Public cord blood units come from unrelated donors, which increases the pool of suitable matches for patients without sibling donors, and it also naturally increases the likelihood of HLA mismatch. Some studies indicate that even if changes in conditioning schedules are enhancing results with mismatched donors, thalassaemia is treated best when a fully matched donor is used.

Moreover, a single cord blood unit contains fewer stem cells compared to mobilised peripheral blood stem cells from a sibling, which have a lower rejection rate and offer a complete cure. Reduced cell dose could cause delayed engraftment, higher risk of graft failure, and longer hospitalisation. Therefore, the question is whether cord blood is enough for thalassaemia transplant? – becomes a significant consideration, particularly regarding the potentially higher cell yield from a sibling donor.

Private Cord Blood Banking: An Essential Substitute

Let’s understand the difference between public and private stem cell banking. While private banks save cord blood for potential future use of the donor family, public banks run on altruistic donations for the benefit of any suitable recipient. For families without a fully HLA-matched sibling, private banking offers the security of having a readily available source of their child’s own stem cells, potentially useful for future regenerative medicine applications beyond thalassaemia. This eliminates the reliance on finding a suitable unrelated donor through public banks, which can be a time-sensitive and sometimes challenging process.

It is significant that the public cord blood transplant success rate in thalassaemia has improved due to advancements in transplant techniques and conditioning regimens; however, it has historically had a lower success rate compared to matched sibling transplants. [DS3] Moreover, private banking also circumvents the limitation of lower cell doses often found in single public cord blood units, as multiple units or future collections could theoretically be used if needed for the original donor.

Haploidentical Transplantation: A Novel Scope of Thalassemia Treatment

In the absence of fully matched donors, haematologists often rely on Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) for treating severe thalassaemia. This approach includes stem cell transplantation from a partially HLA-matched donor or a family member. With appropriate precautions, a wide number of patients have experienced a long-term disease-free experience with no secondary graft failures and a low rejection rate. Thereby citing Haploidentical transplantation as one of the proven paths to go about thalassaemia treatment.

The Value of Well-informed Decision-Making

When deciding on how best to handle thalassaemia in close consultation with haematologists, the question  – Can stem cells from cord blood cure thalassaemia? is certainly a serious one. The answer, however, is significantly influenced by the patient’s age, general health, the availability and HLA matching of potential sibling donors, and the features of the available cord blood units in public banks. The potential of banking on (haplo-HSCT) must also be taken into account as a reliable resort.

However, for families prioritising immediate availability and a perfect HLA match within the family, especially when considering potential future needs beyond thalassaemia, privately banking their newborn’s cord blood offers a distinct advantage. Although a matched sibling donor usually leads to the best outcome for stem cell banking for thalassaemia treatment, private banking ensures that a perfectly matched source of stem cells is preserved specifically for the child, eliminating the uncertainties and potential delays associated with searching public banks. Ongoing research to improve mismatched transplants and the qualities of cord blood units is making the chances of recovery better for all patients seeking a cure for thalassaemia through stem cell transplantation; nevertheless, the peace of mind and guaranteed match offered by private banking remain compelling benefits for many families.

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A baby on the way changes everything. You start planning for things you never even thought about before – crib or cradle; cloth diapers or disposable! But there’s another decision—one not as visible but just as important—that more and more Indian parents are quietly making: preserving their baby’s cord blood.

If you’re hearing about it for the first time, you’re not alone. Until a few years ago, most of us had no idea that the blood left in the umbilical cord after birth could potentially save lives. But today, science tells us something incredible—cord blood might play a major role in treating sickle cell disease, especially in countries like India, where the condition is more common than we realise. Let’s take a deep dive:

First, What Is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle cell is not a lifestyle disease. It’s a genetic blood disorder that some children are born with. Instead of round red blood cells, their bodies make crescent-shaped ones that can block blood flow. This causes pain, fatigue, infections, and in some cases, organ damage over time.

In many tribal communities and even some urban regions in India, sickle cell disease is fairly widespread. And while doctors manage it with medicines and blood transfusions, a real cure is still not easy to come by. That’s where stem cells come in.

Cord Blood: Tiny Cells with Huge Potential

When a baby is born, the umbilical cord is usually discarded. But the blood in that cord is packed with stem cells—the kind that can grow into different types of healthy cells. And these same cells are now being used in stem cell transplants for sickle cell anaemia.

In fact, a number of success stories globally have shown that cord blood can be used to replace the faulty cells in patients with sickle cell, allowing their bodies to start making healthy red blood cells again.

Sounds like science fiction? It’s not. It’s already happening.

But There’s a Catch: The Right Match Is Rare

While this kind of stem cell therapy for sickle cell offers hope, finding the right donor match is extremely tricky, especially in India, where genetic diversity makes matches more complex. Even if you register with a public stem cell bank, there’s no guarantee that your child or someone in your family will find a match when they need it.

This is where private cord blood banking quietly steps in as a game-changer.

Why Private Banking Feels Like a Smarter, Safer Option

When you store your baby’s cord blood privately, it’s reserved only for your family. No sharing, no lottery, no waiting lists. Investing in private cord blood banking should be practised for each and every baby born in a family because it assists in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant from a sibling’s cord blood stem cells in case your child—or even a sibling—is ever diagnosed with a genetic disease like sickle cell.

It’s more than just a one-time investment—it’s a heartfelt decision to protect the ones you love, like quietly building a safety net for your family’s future, ready to catch them if life ever pushes them to the brink. It’s the comfort of knowing that no matter what happens, you’ve planned ahead with love, care, and unshakable commitment.

Some Solid Reasons Why Indian Parents Are Choosing Private Banking

•  You get direct access to your baby’s stem cells
•  The stored cells might be useful for siblings or parents, depending on compatibility
•  It’s a simple, painless collection done right after birth
• It may help in future treatments for sickle cell and other genetic diseases

Is This Only For Families With Medical History?

Not at all. While families with a known history of Sickle Cell Disease or Thalassaemia are encouraged to store cord blood, others are doing it too, as a preventive step. With medical advancements moving fast, who knows what these stem cells might be able to do in 10 or 15 years?

Also, sometimes you don’t know a condition runs in your family until much later. It’s not about living in fear—it’s just about being ready.

Is There Really a Sickle Cell Cure From Cord Blood?

There’s no blanket cure for sickle cell yet, but stem cell transplant from cord blood is one of the closest things to a long-term solution. You’ll be surprised at how promising the results of early treatment have been, especially in younger patients.

And with research happening globally—and now even in India—it’s not unrealistic to believe that cord blood and sickle cell treatment might go hand-in-hand in more cases in the future.

The Psychological Implications

As parents, we all want to protect our kids. We buy helmets, mosquito nets, and water purifiers. Some of us even get health insurance the day we’re born. So why not think about this too?

Cord blood preservation doesn’t mean something bad will happen. It just means you’ve made a choice today that might help your child tomorrow—or even help save a sibling, years from now.

It’s hard to think about things like genetic disorders when you’re setting up a baby nursery, but life has its own plans. And having preserved your baby’s stem cells could make all the difference someday.

Today, awareness about cord blood banking is on the rise. More and more parents-to-be are making the right decision by choosing cord blood banking guided by their urge to secure the future of their children.

If you’ve made it to the end of this article, it means you care. And sometimes, caring is all it takes to make a life-changing decision—one that could protect your family in ways you may not even realise right now. Join thousands of families who’ve already made the choice–get started today.

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Becoming a father is an exciting time. It’s a phase where planning takes centre stage—whether it’s setting up the nursery, managing finances, or thinking about future education, but a topic that often goes under the radar is stem cell banking, especially for dads-to-be.

For many expecting fathers, the idea of cord blood banking or newborn stem cell storage may sound like another medical formality. But it’s far from that. In reality, it’s one of the most valuable decisions you can make early in your child’s life. Here’s why.

Understanding Stem Cells and Their Role in Health

Stem cells are the body’s raw materials. They have the unique ability to develop into different cell types, such as blood cells, nerve cells, or muscle cells. In simple words, they are the foundation of human growth and repair.

The blood found in the umbilical cord is rich in stem cells known as Haematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs). Cord blood stem cell collection at birth is quick, safe, and painless for both mother and baby.

Why Should Dads Care About Stem Cell Banking?

In many families, dads are often decision-makers when it comes to healthcare investments. That makes it important to know what dads should know about stem cells and how this decision can impact their child’s future health.

Cord blood stem cells have been used in the treatment of more than 80 medical conditions, including blood cancers, immune and metabolic disorders. Research is ongoing into their use in conditions like autism, cerebral palsy, and even Type 1 diabetes.

Private vs Public Stem Cell Banking: What’s the Difference?

There are two main options for storing your baby’s stem cells—private and public stem cell banking. Understanding both helps you make an informed choice.

Public Stem Cell Banking

• Donated cells are stored for public use.
• You will not have access to them in the future.
• There is no cost involved in the donation.
• If your child or family needs stem cells later, there is no guarantee of a match.

Private Stem Cell Banking

• The stem cells are preserved exclusively for your child and their immediate family members.
• You can access them anytime if needed.
• There is a storage cost, but it ensures guaranteed access.
•  It’s a one-time opportunity that comes only at birth.

Benefits of Preserving Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells: Why It’s a Smart Move

Private umbilical cord blood stem cell collection at birth offers a host of benefits:

• Safeguard health: Protects against 80+ medical disorders.
• Lifelong access: The preserved stem cells are a 100% match for your baby, and your child can access these cells for approved therapies as and when required.
• Better match for Family Members: There’s a 25% chance of being a perfect match and a 50% chance of being a partial match for siblings and a 50% match for each parent.
• Low risk of rejection: Cells from the same individual have a lower chance of being rejected during treatment.
• Emerging therapies: Ongoing trials show that stem cells may be helpful in regenerative medicine in the future.

Making the Decision: Is It Worth It?

Financial planning is part of every dad’s journey into fatherhood. While private stem cell banking has a cost, it is often more affordable than expected. Many stem cell banks in India offer easy EMIs and lifetime plans.

Compare it with how you invest in health insurance or education savings. Just like those, stem cell banking is a long-term health asset. It’s a one-time chance—you cannot go back later to collect stem cells.

What Should You Do Next? A Quick Checklist for Dads-To-Be

To make the process smooth, here’s what you can do:

• Start early: Discuss the option of cord blood banking in the second trimester.
• Speak to your doctor: Many gynaecologists are well-versed with stem cell collection protocols.
• Choose a reputed private stem cell bank: Look for cord blood banks with accreditations and certifications, years of experience, and a proven cord blood release record for treatments.
• Understand the costs and plans: Many providers offer flexible payment options.
• Be present at birth: Your involvement ensures that the process is done correctly and on time.

Final Thoughts

Fatherhood brings with it a mix of joy, planning, and responsibility. Among those, protecting your child’s health is perhaps the most important one. Opting for private stem cell banking is not just a decision—it’s an emotional investment in your baby’s future.

Knowing that stem cells are preserved and available for your baby gives peace of mind. In a way, it is one of the first and precious gifts you can give as a father.

Stem cell banking is no longer just a mother’s choice or a doctor’s recommendation. It’s a father’s responsibility too. So if you’re preparing for your baby’s arrival, add this to your checklist. You’ll thank yourself in the years to come.

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Stem cells form the basis of the body. For instance, if you have an injury, or there is a bruise or cut in your body, or maybe you’re ageing, and some of your body’s functions may be a little impaired, these stem cells in your body have the natural ability and potential to form specialised cells that help in replacing and restoring the damaged or impaired part of the body’s functions. 

Stem cell-based therapy has the potential to revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine and significantly improve the body’s ability to repair and regenerate damaged tissues. By stimulating and regulating the natural stem cell population, as well as replenishing the cell pool, stem cell therapy has the potential to enhance tissue homeostasis and promote overall healing and regeneration. 

Stem cell preservation is the first and primary step towards stem cell therapy. 

Check Out the Market Dynamics of Stem Cells and Stem Cell Banking 

Stem cell banking has grown in popularity, over the last few decades. This offers the opportunity to cryogenically store stem cells at the most potent state. The demographic transition of stem cells and the stem cell banking industry has a significant impact on healthcare dynamics globally. Cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, cancer as well as neurological problems are some of the examples. The ageing population, however, may suffer from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The demand for stem cell therapy and stem cell banking services is rising due to the growing awareness of the regenerative potential of stem cells among the ageing population. The older people are seeking better healthcare options, positioning the market for long-term growth. The stem cells hold enormous promise of rebuilding the damaged tissues, thus opening doors to novel treatment methods, and improving the quality of life.

Stem Cell Segmentation Market Analysis

The stem cells are segmented into embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. (According to research, from 2018 to 2023, global stem cell banking is expected to reach USD 9.30 to 9.42 billion, at a CAGR of 8.2% to 8.4%.) Maybe the use and research of embryonic stem cells have been a source of ethical discussion, but adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells encourage potential stem cell therapies without any kind of ethical or legal ambiguity. 

Cord Blood Banking and Its Services 

Cord blood stem cells among other stem cells have gained a lot of popularity in the last few decades as it is a rich pool of haematopoeitic stem cells. As per the records, cord blood banking emerged as a commercial service as early as the 1990s. 

By the Early 1990s

The first-ever cord blood-derived haematopoietic stem cells were performed in 1988 for Fanconi Anaemia. Till now, the treatment of Fanconi Anaemia has been considered the most essential achievement across the umbilical cord blood and progenitor stem cells. 

By the Middle of the 2000s

By the middle of the 2000s, the growing number of cord blood banking companies, started investigating cord blood for the pilot as well as clinical trials for disorders like autism, cerebral palsy, and hearing loss. 

By 2023

By April 2023, the U.S. FDA affirmed the world’s first-ever allogeneic cord blood stem cell therapy to further encourage the recovery of white blood cells in cancer patients. Research has further shown that the umbilical cord blood stem cells are employed in treating over 80 life-threatening diseases – for instance – blood cancer (lymphomas and leukaemia), and metabolic, immunological, and genetic disorders. 

Since the early 1990s saw some major developments in cord blood stem cell therapy, during that time, a Taiwanese cord blood banking company was the very first to offer the cord blood banking service. Since the early 2000s, the cord blood banking industry has developed exponentially, as requires safe cord blood storage options among parents-to-be in Europe, the U.S., Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. With the constant rise in per capita income and public awareness, cord blood banking services are only expected to rise. 

Families nowadays understand the essence of preserving cord blood stem cells, thus morally contributing to the industry’s growth. 

Global Cord Blood Corporation (GCBC), Cord Blood Registry (owned by CooperSurgical), and ViaCord are some of the well-known names among private cord blood banking companies. 

One of the leading names in private cord blood banks in Asia is Cordlife India, offering total stem cell banking solutions to new parents – from cord blood collection to cryopreservation. In this stage, all that the parents need to do is pay a nominal price, as Cordlife India gives value and benefits they get paid for.

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In basic scientific research-related questions cell culture is an essential and versatile tool. It refers to the growth and expansion of cells in the laboratory. 

The process of cell culture is carried out in a culture dish. Cell cultures are used for research in the field of medicine and to diagnose infections.

The dish gradually becomes crowded as the cells divide. It is possible to produce millions of stem cells from the original cells. For further culture and experimentation, batches of cells can be frozen at any point in the process. 

History of Cell Culture

As early as the 20^th century cell culture was originally introduced to study the growth of the tissue and its development. With the help of cell culture, virus biology was studied, and vaccine development was performed. It further defines the role of genes in health and diseases. Biopharmaceuticals are produced using large-scale hybrid cell lines. 

During many experiments, the cells are cultured and diversified as various cells generally used to be grown in vitro. Due to the homogeneity of clonal cell populations and specific cell types, along with the controlled nature of well-defined culture systems, genetic or environmental variables are minimized. This enables the generation of highly reproducible and consistent data, which is often not achievable in whole-organ studies. Different places use different methods for cell culture. Tissue cells and molecular cells are generally cultured at 37°C for pharmacological, physiological and biological evaluation. The conditions in which stem cells are grown allow them to differentiate. Altering the chemical composition of the culture medium, altering the surface of the culture dish, or forcing genes to be expressed in the cells may grow different types of differentiated cells.

Cell Culture in India 

The Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at IIT Mumbai has four cell culture labs, a microscopy room and a general-purpose storage room. Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology of India has trained faculty for the proliferation of normal cells. CCMB of India has well-equipped facilities with microscopes, cold rooms, freezers, etc. A few companies in India, such as those mentioned above, engage in cell culture.

Process Upon Successful Completion of the Cell Culture

Upon the successful completion of the culturing process, the culture medium is carefully removed or rinsed away, allowing optimal harvesting of the valuable cells. Stem cells extracted from the bone marrow, peripheral blood, adipose tissue and precursor cells from the skin have been proven instrumental in treating various fatal diseases like cancer, sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia, and diabetes. This aside stem cells are also derived from cord tissue and cord blood. Once the cord blood stem cells are cultured and harvested, they are stored in some of the best techniques. The stem cells are preserved at -196 degrees. By freezing stem cells at a controlled temperature, their liveliness can be preserved for more than two decades for future medical emergencies. The cord stem cells are used to treat FDA-approved 80 + deadly diseases. That means for stem cell therapies to be successful, scientists must be able to manipulate stem cells so that they are capable of differentiation, transplantation and engraftment. To regenerate and repair solid tissues in three dimensions, scientists must also develop procedures for administering stem cell populations, as well as vascularization (supplying blood vessels).

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Every year, nearly 1.5 million cancer cases are recorded in India. Research further has it that India ranks 3^rd in the world as cases of cancer, are concerned after the USA and China, raising a serious concern for public health. In the last decade, a fast-developing economy like India has had an exponential rise in cases of cancer.

Blood Cancer and Its Types 

Blood makes up approximately 8% of a normal body weight. Blood moves around the vascular system of the body, carrying oxygen, nutrients, and hormones throughout the body helping people to live and survive. Blood is produced in the bone marrow which comprises plasma as well as blood cells like red and white blood cells and platelets suspended in plasma. Blood cancers – like Lymphoma, Leukaemia, or Multiple Myeloma – start in the marrow and impact the normal functioning of blood cells and hence get diagnosed.

While Leukaemia is a common blood cancer amongst children, Lymphoma affects a network of tissues, organs, and blood vessels of the body, and Multiple myeloma is a relatively rare blood cancer disrupting the composition of plasma and white blood cells (White blood cells help fight infection), and mostly affecting the health of adults. Children or adults diagnosed with blood cancer of the above-mentioned types may have weight loss, night sweats, tiredness, and lymph node swelling. 

Treatments for Blood Cancer 

There are different treatments available for blood cancers, depending on the individual case. Some people may be directed to undergo active surveillance without cancer-directed therapy, while others may have to opt for more standard cancer treatments such as immunotherapies, chemotherapies, and targeted agents. 

With the advent of stem cell therapy, Bone marrow-derived stem cell transplant has been considered the medically preferential treatment option for a very long time, however, cord blood-derived stem cell or transplant is considered a promising alternative for cancer to conventional sources.

Cord blood is the blood left behind in the placenta and umbilical cord and is a rich source of stem cells that have the potential to treat over 80 life-threatening diseases like the cancers mentioned above. 

Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant for Cancer 

Cord blood stem cells offer some major benefits in a transplant. In fact, they are a little more effective than bone marrow stem cell transplants. How?

There were two studies carried out.

• According to a study by the University of Pennsylvania, cancer patients undergoing umbilical cord blood stem transplant will have a portion of the cord expanded for the generation of T cells that could be used for immunotherapy post-transplant.
  
• According to two studies initiated at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, the first part of the trial compares dUCBT (double umbilical cord blood transplantation) with or without Notch-mediated ex vivo cord expansion, while the second study investigates the infusion of a non-HLA-matched ex vivo expanded cord with either a single or dUCBT. These trials have the potential to improve outcomes for patients undergoing cord blood transplants.

That means Cord blood stem cells are naïve, younger, and more primitive. Finding a match is easier. Even if it is a less-than-perfect match, the transplantation happens safely as well as successfully.

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The umbilical cord, which creates a bond between the mother and the baby during pregnancy, is clamped and cut right after childbirth to separate the newborn from the mother. Earlier, however, the umbilical cord was cut and treated as a medical waste. With the advancement in science and technology, the untapped potential of the stem cells present in the umbilical cord blood was discovered. As time progressed, the umbilical cord blood stem cells have unleashed a new hope for those who are battling life-threatening diseases like blood cancer, thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, etc.

Learning about the power of umbilical cord blood stem cells, many parents-to-be like you can make an informed decision about cord blood banking.

Cord Blood banking is essentially the collection and storage of umbilical cord blood. 

Having said that, two types of cord blood banks are known worldwide: public and private cord blood banking.

Private Cord Blood Banking

For cord blood banking in a private stem cell bank like Cordlife, all you need to do is pay a nominal cost during the time of cord blood collection (after the child’s birth) as well as for stem cell preservation to keep the stem cells safe for 21 years or more. You can enjoy exclusive ownership and accessibility of the stem cells during this tenure. During this time, your child’s need to use his or her own stem cells may be lower, but whenever there is a need for any medical emergency, either for you or for anybody within your family, the stem cells can be used for stem cell transplantation.

Public Cord Blood Banking

On the other hand, in a public cord blood bank, you are donating your baby’s umbilical cord. The public cord blood banks may not charge you anything for your donation, but they use the cord blood for medical research, as well as for the treatment of anyone who might need the cord blood stem cells based on HLA match.

Besides these two main cord blood banking types, there are reputed cord blood stem cell banks that have introduced something known as mixed, hybrid, or community cord blood banking. 

Community Cord Blood Banking

Community cord blood banking neither acts completely like a private cord blood bank nor acts entirely like a public cord blood bank. In a community cord blood banking method, you might have to pay for keeping your baby’s stem cells safe for 2 years, but like a public cord blood banking system, after the completion of those 2 years, the sample goes into a community banking pool, without any prior communication with you. (A public cord blood bank is non-chargeable). 

That means you lose the ownership of your baby’s cord blood completely, and you can do absolutely nothing about it even after paying! You will not even be able to retrieve the stem cells for any medical emergency post the two years.

Isn’t this shrugging responsibility?

Overall, which stem cell banking method, would you like to go for – private or community cord blood banking method?

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Saving the umbilical cord blood can save lives. Presently, umbilical cord blood has the potential to treat more than 80 diseases, including some common types of blood cancer. Here’s all you need to know about how umbilical cord blood stem cells are revolutionising the way cancer treatment.

A cancer diagnosis is no more a death sentence. With advanced medical technology and treatment lines, it is possible to beat cancer. One such medical development is the use of umbilical cord blood in treating certain forms of cancer.

Saving the umbilical cord can save lives. Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells and has the potential to treat more than 80 diseases including cancers such as Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Neuroblastoma.

Umbilical cord blood collection is a risk-free and painless process. Umbilical cord blood stem cells can cryopreserve through cord blood banking.

How Umbilical Cord Blood Can Be Used in Cancer Treatment

The first umbilical cord stem cell transplant took place in Paris in 1988. The patient was a small boy suffering from Fanconi anaemia, a life-threatening genetic blood disease. The patient’s sister became the donor. A prenatal diagnosis of his sister confirmed that she was HLA identical and not affected by the Fanconi mutation. After she was born, her cord blood was collected and sent for umbilical cord preservation through cryopreservation. Storing the umbilical cord properly is one of the most important aspects of cord stem cell banking. Saving the umbilical cord for decades is possible with cryopreservation.

The first transplant in human history was successful. Ever since umbilical cord blood stems cell transplant has become a popular line of treatment for people suffering from childhood cancer. Globally, more than 6000 cord blood stem cell transplants, from unrelated donors, have been performed.

Advantages of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Transplant

Stem cells found in the umbilical cord offer major advantages in a transplant. They are more effective than bone marrow transplants as they pose a lower risk of GvHD (graft versus host disease). GvHD is a serious and life-threatening condition that can happen at any time after a transplant. However, the chances are lower when the patient uses umbilical cord blood stem cells. These stem cells are easier to collect than bone marrow stem cells. In addition, these take a lesser time for processing and pose a reduced risk of transmission of infections. It means, there is a lesser need for stringent antigen typing. Most importantly, the rate of rejection is much lower in umbilical cord blood stem cells transplant.

The decreased risk of transmission of infectious diseases is because umbilical cord blood has never been contaminated. It is so because the umbilical cord blood collects, after collecting data on the pregnant mom’s infection history. Moreover, the collected umbilical cord blood is also tested for infections and contaminations before preservation.  

Stem cell collection at birth is a simple process. Since the umbilical cord blood collection happens before the baby’s immune system is fully developed, the cord blood stem cells can use even if the donor and patient cells have a less perfect match. Also, with umbilical cord banking, you can save cord blood stem cells for years and use them as and when required. More than 80+ diseases can cure using stem cells saved through stem cell cord blood banking.

How Does an Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant Cure Cancer?

An umbilical cord blood transplant does not work directly against cancer. Umbilical cord blood stem cells help the body to produce new stem cells to replace the cancerous cells after high radiation and chemotherapy. Stem cell transplant is particularly effective in treating leukaemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, and multiple myeloma.

Conclusion

The best way to procure umbilical cord blood stem cells is through cord blood banking. If you are an expecting parent, consider cord blood banking to secure your baby’s health in the future. Cord blood banking can not only save your baby’s life but also the life of their siblings and other close family members.

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Cord blood banking can be a life-saving decision for your child and the family. When making this decision you need to be sure about all the pros and cons. Unfortunately, there are lots of misconceptions surrounding stem cell banking. Some of them are:

Misconception: Stem Cell Therapy is Still in the Experimental Phase

Fact: Stem cell therapy is no longer in the experimental phase. More than 30,000 umbilical cord blood stem cells transplants have been done worldwide. Umbilical cord blood is an accepted source of stem cells for a blood transplant patient. Umbilical cord blood is frequently being used to treat blood-related cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell diseases. It is also being used to treat inherited genetic disorders, bone marrow disorders and other immune-related diseases.

Misconception: Cord blood Is Not a Preferred Source of Stem Cells For Transplants

Fact: Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells. Newborn stem cell banking can help the family of the baby access cord blood more easily than extracting it from the bone marrow of a donor. The process to get stem cells from a donor is a lengthy process that involves consent, compatibility testing and harvesting. Valuable time gets lost in this. Cord blood can be availed of easily from newborn cord blood banking than looking out for a donor for bone marrow with compatibility.

Misconception: Cord Blood Donors Are Easily Available and There Is No Need for Cord Blood Banking

Fact: In India, it is difficult to find donors easily. There is a long queue of patients seeking donors. Finding a donor can also be an expensive affair. The cost of one unit of stem cell can be anywhere between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 20 lakh. Therefore, even if a match is found, many patients are not able to afford the treatment. Therefore, investing in newborn cord blood banking will help you access the stem cells whenever needed at a cheaper cost.

Misconception: Collecting Cord Blood Can Intervene During the Process of Delivery of a Baby

Fact: Cord blood collection does not intervene during the process of delivery of a baby. The umbilical cord blood is collected after the baby is born by clamping and cutting the umbilical cord. The process is safe for both normal and C-section delivery. Usually, the umbilical cord is discarded after the birth of the child but in newborn cord blood banking, the same is collected and preserved.

Misconceptions: All Cord Blood Banks Are the Same

Fact: All cord blood banks are not the same. There are two types of cord blood banks—public banks and private banks. Public banks allow parents to donate the umbilical cord blood of their baby, which is then mainly used for research purposes. At private banks, you have the option to save the umbilical cord blood of your newborn at a cost and access it whenever needed if at all. While choosing a private bank for baby stem cell storage, check the certification, technological expertise and safety standards followed by the bank.

Remember, a small investment in newborn cord blood banking today can save your child’s life tomorrow. Therefore, bust all myths and make an informed decision.

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Over the years, stem cell transplantation has been considered promising in treating problems related to several life-threatening diseases and disorders. Diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and other blood and genetic disorders and immunological deficiencies have seen some hope since the advent of stem cell therapy.

But, do you know what exactly are these stem cells and where do they come from?

Umbilical cord blood stem therapy, has also emerged as a contender against the other stem cell treatments in treating lethal diseases.

But, how are umbilical cord blood stem cells different?

To find out the answers to all your questions… Go through this article.  

What Are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are the roots or the master or the mother cells in the body. They are unique because they perform the two key functions of pluripotency and self-renewal in the human body.

As far as the pluripotency of the stem cells are concerned, the stem cells divide into several daughter cells and go into the “differentiation” process, thus giving rise to various organs in the body like heart, brain, eyes, liver, etc. Additionally, they have this unique potential to regenerate and repair the diseased or damaged tissues in the body.

Everything doesn’t end there.

Researchers continue to go deeper looking for some more knowledge on stem cells banking. In fact, their studies have indicated several sources of stem cells.

So, What Are the Sources of Stem Cells?

So, the stem cells, which are the earliest types of cells in the cell lineage is being derived from:

The Embryonic Stem Cells

Basically, three days after the fertilisation, a normally developing embryo will have 6 to 10 cells. But, by the fifth or sixth day, when the egg gets fertilised, it known as blastocyst. Blastocyst is an entire ball of inner stem cells, which eventually takes the shape of an embryo. The other group of cells, however, is active in protecting and nourishing the inner cells.  

Due to their pluripotent nature, the embryonic stem cells are being studied to be used as clinical therapies, genetic disorders and cellular or DNA repair. Additionally, the embryonic pluripotent stem cells, have shown the promise in treating wide-ranging conditions, which may not just be limited to: spinal cord injuries, age-related muscular degeneration, diabetes, AIDs, etc. But some ethical controversies are arising surrounding the embryonic stem cell therapy. 

The Adult Stem Cells

These stem cells, also known as niches, are found in the adipose tissues, bone marrow, peripheral blood and the umbilical cord blood. Unlike embryonic stem cells, these are a few undifferentiated stem cells. In this type of cellular differentiation, the stem cell either differentiates into a few cell types or only one cell type.  For instance, while haemopoietic stem cells (HSC) can divide into blood cells only, there are neural cells, which form cells only in the nervous system. Several bone or blood cancer has been successfully treated through bone marrow transplantation. In fact, till date bone marrow transplantation has been considered as a preferential treatment option for a very long time. But, due to the limited lifespan of the bone marrow stem cells (the phenomenon whereby normal non-malignant cells stop dividing in vitro, after approximately fifty divisions, which has been termed the Hayflick limit), painfully invasive procedure and with a serious complication after the transplant, the effectiveness and safety of it’s is still being tested.  

The Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells

Going by the basics, during pregnancy, the umbilical cord acts as a “String of Life” between the mother and the baby. However, earlier when babies were delivered, it was prevalent to treat the umbilical cord (with the cord blood) as a medical waste. However, with the advent of cord blood stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine, the whole scenario has changed.

How Cord Blood Stem Cells Different?

Research has it that, cord blood is largely driven by haematopoietic stem cells, which can be used to regenerate the immune system. Their regenerative powers can also come in handy when treating life-threatening diseases. After conducting intensive research, it has been concluded that they can be used to successfully treat leukaemia and other blood disorders, as Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), can transform into various blood cell types. In fact, due to its younger, purer, more adaptable and active nature, risks and complications of graft-versus-host diseases is not observed after the transplantation. Rather, it becomes easy to find a match, especially within family and siblings.

Through new-born cord blood banking, the cord blood stem cells can be preserved after a painless collection, for 21 to 75 years of a baby’s life so that, it can be used for medical use, even after two decades.  

To Sum Up

Unlike embryonic stem cells, umbilical cord blood stem cells may not be pluripotent, but it, along with Wharton’s jelly and cord lining are being studied in vitro for neurological defects, immune deficiency and other organ disorders.

Umbilical cord blood banking would surely allow parents to gain access to cutting-edge treatments for themselves and their family’s healthy future.

In fact, looking at the benefits of cord blood banking, more and more parents-to-be are thinking about including  cord blood banking in their birth plan.

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Under normal circumstances, your body’s immune system protects you from germs, bacteria, and viruses. However, when a person is diagnosed with Lupus or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, their body can’t differentiate between the good and the bad and mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues and organs. The symptoms of this autoimmune disease vary from person to person, depending on which part of your body is being attacked. It can be in the form of dry eyes, tiredness, fever, swelling, and pain in joints, breathing difficulty, chest pain, headaches, memory loss, or skin lesions. Inflammations caused by Lupus can even affect your kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs.

Current medication for Lupus is costly, and the treatment changes with any new symptoms that develop. Thus, finding the right treatment could even take years, with the added risk of adverse side effects to the treatments carried out.

In this regard, stem cells, with their ability to develop into different types of cells, have the potential to provide some hope and relief to lupus warriors. Physicians in China have identified over 200 patients who have been unresponsive to standard treatment¹. These patients were given mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) treatments, and over 75% of them saw reduced symptoms for up to 2 years. A follow-up with 81 patients was conducted in year 5 where 54% were in either complete or partial remission of the disease. Even after 6 years, this stem cell therapy is still safe and effective with no severe effects.

Another clinical trial² in South Carolina, USA, involved 6 patients with SLE, who were given injections of MSCs, which were from the umbilical cord. Their focus was on the types of T-cells and B-cells which impact the function of the immune system. In 2 years, the activity of B-cells was controlled. There were fewer abnormal memory B-cells and more non-reactive B-cells in 4 patients. In 2 patients, there were slightly more T-cells. Phase 1 of this trial found that MSC treatment could directly benefit Lupus, and a Phase 2 trial has been launched to take the investigations forward.

While stem cells can be derived from bone marrow or the umbilical cord, researchers favour those from the umbilical cord for several reasons:

• Supply of 10 times more stem cells when compared to bone marrow
• MSCs from the umbilical cord have immunosuppressors and immunomodulatory properties that allow them to use it in any individual without rejection (HLA matching not necessary)
• More proliferation ability than adult stem cells
• Higher regeneration rate
• They are young and adaptive
• Age hasn’t changed them
• They can be administered multiple times over a few days
• No pain and recovery needed when compared to collecting stem cells from fat or hip bone

Since stem cells found in the umbilical cord blood show immense promise in treating Lupus and several other diseases, more and more parents are turning to the banking of stem cells via cord blood banking.

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The umbilical cord is a connection between mom and her baby that begins well before the baby is born. Whatever the baby needs for survival inside the womb reaches him/her via this cord. Not only does it supply blood to the developing fetus, but it also carries essential nutrients to the womb.

The Make-up of the Umbilical Cord

The umbilical cord is a rope-like structure with a thin exterior covering called Wharton’s jelly that attaches itself to the centre of the placenta. It contains two tiny arteries and a vein. The job of these blood vessels is to supply adequate blood and oxygen to the growing fetus and to transport necessary nutrients from the placenta. The umbilical cord grows up to 50 centimetre in length and 2 centimetres in diameter during the pregnancy. The cord also consists of stem cells that can be used for treating various life-threatening diseases like cancer and anemia. Parents have the option of cryo-preserving the cord blood cells in private cord blood banks to be used later if needed.

The umbilical cord is usually coiled up resembling a spring inside the womb. This allows the baby to move around without any resistance. Once your baby is delivered, the cord-cutting is done almost immediately. It is a painless process as there are no nerves in the umbilical cord.

The Various Components Of the Umbilical Cord and Their Functions

Arteries: The main role of the two arteries is to carry blood from the baby to the placenta. Along with the blood, they also carry carbon dioxide and other waste products. The arteries close soon after delivery to prevent blood loss to the placenta.

Vein: This carries oxygen from the red blood cells in the mommy’s body through the placenta and to the growing baby. It also carries essential nutrients needed for the baby’s development. The vein takes a little longer to close, generally around 3-4 minutes. Hence, delayed cord clamping allows more nutrients to be passed on to your baby even after birth.

Cord Blood: The umbilical cord contains excess blood which the baby doesn’t require after being born. This cord blood contains elements of regular blood along with potent stem cells that can be used to treat 80 diseases. These stem cells can be harvested and preserved by cryogenically freezing them for future usage. Your baby’s umbilical stem cells can be used to treat diseases in any of his/her immediate family members. This is because the cord blood contains the most primitive form of stem cells which can adapt to a new host body. The chances of the new body rejecting the umbilical cord blood cells (Graft-Versus-Host-Disease) is relatively low.

Once your baby is born, and the cord has been cut, there will still be a stump left behind. This stump will dry in due course and eventually falls off on its own. Mommy has to make sure the stump is kept clean and dry to prevent any infection in the baby. Once the stump has fallen off, the baby’s navel will appear in the exact same spot.

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Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy maybe considered as a promising approach towards mitigating the delirious effect of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19). Read on to find out the truth in support of the context.

From an outbreak to becoming a pandemic-the havoc that Novel coronavirus or Covid-19 has created till now is surely not alien to anyone. As the situation is worsening with every passing day, Coronavirus seems to be a puzzle that medical practitioners are trying to solve with varied combination of medications and therapies.

While the production of a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19 is the ultimate aim, various research is also being conducted across the globe to nail down approved and effective therapeutic strategies to cure this virus.

In this context, Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy has evolved as a potential breakthrough approach towards mitigating the delirious effect of the virus.

MSC Therapy – Recent Records

Some recent studies have shown a rampant improvement in the symptoms of Covid-19 patients with intravenous infusion of allogenic stem cells. Remarkable signs of recovery were observed within a span four days, in a critically ill Coivd-19 patient who was suffering from liver injury. On the other hand, MSC transplantation performed on patients suffering from high fever and shortness of breath saw their lung functions speedily improve within just two days.

MSCs – A Major Role in Immunomodulation and Differentiation

The effectiveness of the immunomodulatory abilities of MSCs has been already tested earlier.
MSCs are multi-potent cells found in bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue and umbilical cord. Storage of MSCs with its immunomodulation and differentiation abilities, may be repeatedly used for therapeutic purposes like Covid-19. This virus with its crown-like structure (spike protein layer) enters the human cells, recognises, infects and destroys them completely via ACE2 and TMPRSS2 molecules. These molecules spreads around the lung’s cells, blood vessels and cardiac cells. Considering the immunomodulation and differentiation ability, MSCs can expand to volume in suitable and short period of time, helping the cell properties in a Covid-19 patient’s body.

How are MSCs Obtained for Treatment

MSCs for the purpose of treatment for a Covid-19 patient, can be obtained from the tissue from a donor (allogenic). If the patient has not already stored the self-MSCs, the only option available is allogenic use.

MSC Therapy- production, Infusion and Control

The terrible devastation of the lungs cells and the immune system due to the attack of Coronavirus (Covid-19), leaves a patient at high risk. The severity of the virus causes blocking of the blood vessels in the body which finally leads to multi-organ failure. The Intravenous (IV) infusion of MSCs, targeting the lungs, (for proper cell product delivery in ARDS and Covid-19), is most frequently anticipated here.

MSC Therapy – Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approves the Advancement of Clinical Trail

Some of the biotechnology companies in the US received the much-needed FDA nod to advance their clinical trial on the usage of MSC therapy on severely impacted Covid-19 patients. This is being considered as a huge affirmation in the potentiality of MSC therapy in combatting this deadly virus.

MSC Therapy – Present and Future

Mesenchymal Stem Cells, once injected intravenously in a Covid-19 patient’s body has been found to improve lung inflammation and regulate arterial oxygen saturation. However, at this moment, MSC-based therapy is at the clinical trial stage and has only been used in emergency situations, like controlling the “cytokine storm” in the patient. Particularly for those whose immune system and regenerative are compromised by age.

However, with time and with a larger cohort of patients, the safety and effectiveness of MSCs intravenous infusion can be well judged.

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Many females are just too sedentary in the day to day life and due to an absence of fitness, many complications occur in pregnancy and birthing process. There is absolutely no justification for you not to practice throughout your pregnancy if you are healthy and have a normal pregnancy.

If you are pregnant, you need not do rigorous exercise always exercise. All exercises must be specific and associated with pregnancy. If you train yourself in a gym or under a trainer, you will have experience with pre-natal and post-natal exercises.

Here are 6 benefits of exercising

1. Exercise improves the energy level of your life due to the hormone reaction of your body occurs due to exercise.
2. Exercise can decrease pregnancy symptoms, such as weakness and fatigue, by increasing your blood pressure.
3. You should concentrate on your body posture when you practice specifically through your pregnancy. You’ll have more space for the baby to develop and move if you can enhance your position. Later in your pregnancy, you will also feel more relaxed. Enhancing the strength of your body reduces the extra load of pregnancy.
4. Labour pain can be mild to very extreme and you need the strength both emotionally and physically to proceed with extended labor and birth. A strong and fit mum-to-be reduces her chances of taking medicines during delivery and decreases the likeliness of doing a “C” section by 30%.
5. Depending on your baby’s size, if you exercise through pregnancy, you can bear anything from 8-15 kg. Approximately 3-4 kgs of baby’s weight, other fluids, blood, amniotic fluid, placenta and bone should be added to your weight.  It is difficult for the body to adjust with the modifications in your pregnancy without adding excessive weight on the body.
6. It is shown that people who exercise during pregnancy have improved blood flow to the placenta which provides benefit for the placental and fetal growth.

The advantages of doing exercises during your pregnancy are more than the side effects of exercising during pregnancy. Make sure you always receive advice from an experienced trainer who deals with pregnant women.

If during exercise you feel some pain or discomfort then stop it immediately. If the pain persists then consult with a gynaecologist or any general physician.

Author Bio:

Author Bio: Ratnadip Roychowdhury, a health blogger loves to write blogs and guest post on different topics of healthcare. She loves to write blogs on pregnancy tips, stem cell therapy and treatment of diseases by stem cell banking. The author emphasizes upon the reputation of remaining aware about the contents.

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A healthy and fit child – is what every parent strives to achieve. The most important thought that occupies a parent’s mind is whether they are doing everything possible to secure their child’s health now and in future – be it timely vaccinations, proper food or timely medical care. Stem cell banking is one such decision that a parent needs to consider even prior to the birth of their li’l one.

 “Banking stem cells today will give your children and family the advantage of a healthy future.”

Saving cord blood has multiple benefits and usually opted for personal and medical reasons. Would-be-parents, now-a-days, are more familiar with the advantages of saving cord blood stem cells, that is why more and more people are leaning towards cord blood banking. Let us know how an entire family can benefit from the much necessary hope offered by cord blood stem cell banking

Save Lives Without Hassle

The umbilical cord which connects the mother and the baby also nourishes the baby in the womb. The cord and the blood inside it can be easily collected at the time of birth once the baby is separated. It is a safe and painless procedure and does not pose any risk either to the baby or the mother.

Shrug Off Life-threatening Diseases

This is the perfect reply for those who ask why they should save their cord blood stem cells, the probability of needing a stem cell transplant in one’s life is considerably high i.e.1 in 200. Cord blood transplant is regarded as a standard treatment for around 80 life-threatening disorders like lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma. A perfect match is a perfect chance of saving you – Your baby’s cryopreserved cord blood stem cells will be a perfect match for your baby and also a ready source of genetically related stem cells for immediate family members. Chances of matching between siblings are 60% higher in case of using a cord blood unit as compared to any other source.

Regeneration is Possible

Stem cells are known to replicate and renew themselves as well as differentiate and multiply into different types of cells. This unique ability to regenerate and repair damaged parts of the body has helped to create a potential treatment option of regenerative medicine. Cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells which can be easily collected, processed and cryopreserved. Banking these precious stem cells at the time of birth offers a life-saving treatment option; if ever required in the future.

With some of the advanced technology such as cord blood collected after childbirth, stem cell isolation, processing of stem cells and newer applications using these stored stem cells has made stem cell banking a promising proposition to safeguard the health of not only the child but also the entire family.

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Pregnancy is a super exciting time for a woman and you become enthusiastic about doing a lot of things for her unborn baby. However, you might be thinking that how will you choose according to the choices of the baby. You need not to worry because when you do your daily activities your baby will communicate with you. Also there are certain things your baby doesn’t like while it is still inside your womb. Here is the list of such things.

1. Whenever you laugh, your belly gets jerks which make your baby uncomfortable. The reason behind is the womb is filled with fluid so when you laugh make sure to hold your belly. This will avoid jerk and do not discomfort your baby.
2. Touching your baby from outside the belly must be an awesome feeling for you and your baby will also love that. However, you must not poke or touch your baby too much because it can irritate your baby and might move away from its place.
3. Music helps both the mother and the baby to keep happy and relaxed. However, babies do not like loud noise or music. They get irritated from d9ffrent types of loud noises such as noise of the mixer grinder or the horns of the traffic. So be careful and stay away from the places where there is loud noise.
4. Doctor always advices the pregnant woman to stay away from stress and remain happy. It is very natural that increase in your hormone level increases the stress level. However, too much stress will affect your health as well as growth of the baby. For reducing stress you can try some techniques such as yoga, breathing exercises and meditation. You can also ask your partner and other family member not to create stress in the family.
5. You may love to eat spicy food but it might be hated by the baby and make it irritated. Everything the mother eats is directly passes to the baby and is swallowed by the baby through the amniotic fluid. Whenever you eat spicy food your baby moves in an unpleasant mother inside the womb.
6. Most important thing is don’t be sad. If you get stressed and too much sad then it creates a negative impact on your baby. This may effects the growth of the baby and might affect the development of the brain. So stay away from all the negative things and be positive.

Now that you know about the things that your baby won’t like, so you must try not to do such things. You must keep in mind that your baby carries some of your traits after birth. So be careful and stay happy.

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Cord blood is the blood found in the umbilical cord of the baby which is a rich source of stem cells. The cord blood is collected at the time of birth, it is then processed to isolate the stem cells and these stem cells are cryopreserved.

Science has always been a boon to the common people. Scientists from different parts of the world have discovered the stem cells and proved that cord blood stem cells are pluripotent and can develop into any type of cells of the human body. These stem cells can be used for the treatment of different types of cancer, blood related disorders, autoimmune diseases, etc.

The cord blood stem cells of your baby possess mainly two types of benefits. These stem cells can be used for both the transplantation method as well as regenerative medicine. The most amazing thing about the cord blood is that you can bank your baby’s cord blood and tissues so that if needed it can be used in the future. The stem cells extracted from the cord blood can become useful for the treatment of the baby and immediate family members.

In your life you never know what will happen next. Any of a person in their life can get such diseases which cannot be treated by medicines. At that point of time doctor suggest for doing stem cell transplantation. In that case the stem cells extracted from your baby’s cord blood and tissue will help the parents and close relatives in their treatment.

Various cord blood banks have been established so that the expectant parents can opt for the banking their baby’s stem cells. These cells are collected at the time of the birth and are stored in a private bank for the future use of their family.

Hence it can be said that banking your baby’s stem cells is a type of safety net for you and your family. It means that whenever any member of your family will need stem cell therapy you can retrieve your baby’s stem cells from the bank and can give them for the treatment.

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Stem cells are the basic and undifferentiated cells those have the ability to divide into any kind of cells of the body. This potency of these cells provides them the power of treating more than 80 life-threatening diseases that are untreatable by medicine.

As the history says the cord blood was first discovered in 1983 and it is proved as an alternative to the bone marrow. The cord blood transplant was first done in the year 1988, on a boy who was suffering from Fanconi Anaemia. His treatment from the stem cells was done at the age of five and stem cells were isolated from the cord blood of his sister. After this treatment, the medical experts discovered to store the cord blood stem cells and established the concept of cord blood banking.

Since 1988, more than 30 years have passed in the evolution of stem cells that are isolated from the umbilical cord blood of a baby. In this time span, stem cell transplant of more than 40,000 have been accomplished.

The stem cells can be extracted from various sources such as bone marrow, embryo or cord blood. But medical experts suggest to isolate stem cells from the cord blood of the baby. Reason behind is that the blood found in the umbilical cord is the richest source of stem cells and also the process of collection is simple, safe and painless method. The cord blood stem cells do not need a 100% match only a partial match in HLA can assist in Stem cell transplantation process. Also, the cord blood stem cells cause less risk of infection for graft versus host disease.

Currently the clinical trials have proved that more than 80 diseases can be treated by the stem cells. The diseases are:

1. Cancer which includes Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma and Retinolastoma.
2. Blood disorders including different types of Anaemia, Genetic Red Blood Cells Abnormalities, Platelet Abnormalities and many others.
3. Metabolic disorders that comprises of Leukodystrophy Disorders, Lysosomal Storage Diseases, Mucopolysaccharidosis Storage Diseases, etc.
4. Different types of Immune disorders of the system and organs of the body.

Due to the ability of treating these diseases, the cord blood stem cells can be recognized as regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine has the capability of repairing the damaged cells of the body. In addition, the umbilical cord is a source which provides stem cells of all the three cell lines. For example, hematopoietic cell line, mesenchymal cell line and epithelial cell line.

Studies are done in clinical trials to prove that the stem cells might help in future to cure all those diseases that are still untreatable and cause suffering to the people. So, bank your baby’s stem cells and get a health security for you, your baby and your family.

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Heartiest congratulations to all the to-be mom for being pregnant. Birth of your child is the most exciting phase of your life. At this time, you must be impatiently waiting to see your baby and also remain eager to welcome the baby. But at the time of birth, you will get an opportunity to protect the health of your baby as well as your family. This opportunity is known as cord blood banking which can be done only at the time of the birth.

The blood that is found in the umbilical cord is known as cord blood. Cord blood is the richest source of stem cells which is having the potential to treat different diseases. The stem cells can grow into any kind of specific cells of the body which further develops into different organs as well as tissues. It has been approved in clinical trials that some of the diseases such as autism, blood cancer, immune-related diseases, metabolic disorders, etc. can be treated by stem cells

Now you must be thinking about what are stem cells……

Before the birth of a baby, it is attached to the placenta of the mother by the help of the umbilical cord.  this cord is a tube-like structure which helps to pass the oxygen as well as the nutrients from the mother to the baby. Few years back this umbilical cord is cut and thrown as medical waste. But after the discovery of stem cells, the doctor suggests the parents store the stem cells of the baby that can be used in future treatments. The reason behind is that stem cells which are found in the cord blood can be transplanted into the patient suffering from diseases that are untreatable by traditional methods of therapy. The cord blood banking is the process where collection, isolation, and cryopreservation are done to bank a baby’s stem cells.

For storing your baby’s stem cell must contact with the companies that will provide you the facility of stem cell banking. Once you register with the cord blood bank, they will provide you with the kit box. At the time of the birth, Cord blood of your baby is collected by the gynecologist or the phlebotomist. this blood is then kept in the x-ray free kit box which is then transported to the lab for further processing. Once it reaches the lab stem cells are extracted from the cord blood and is kept in compartmentalized cryo-pouches in the storage compartment with liquid nitrogen at -196 degree Celsius.

Before banking your baby’s cord blood, you must know about the benefits of stem cells harvested from cord blood.

• They can be easily extracted from the umbilical cord blood. as the cord blood is collected after the birth of the baby so the process is painless and risk-free for both the mother and the baby.
• In the case of stem cells retrieved from cord blood registry, there is a less chance of getting an HLA matched stem cells for the patient. However, if you preserve your baby’s stem cells then it will be helpful for both your baby as well as your family members. the reason behind is that your baby’s stem cells will surely get a match with your family members. In addition, there are fewer chances of getting any kind of infection or complications after treatment.
• Stem cells collected from the umbilical cord blood have much more ability to get HLA match when compared to the stem cells collected from bone marrow. In addition to this, the stem cells from the umbilical cord are having fewer chances of causing graft versus host disease in the recipient.

It can be concluded that the stem cells have the power of regenerating the immunity of the body. So, you before approaching your estimated due date you must decide for preserving your baby’s stem cells. By banking your baby’s stem cells, you automatically provide health security for you and your family in treating different life-threatening diseases.

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When you are getting ready for a baby or trying to conceive, there are various important things that must be kept in mind for next few months. Both of the parents have to take a lot of decisions at the time of pregnancy as well as delivery.

Decision such as doing different kinds of tests, vaccination is hiding about the birth methods and many others. Among all these, there is one more important thing that was we decided by the parents that is cord blood banking.

You must have heard about cord blood banking from your friends or relatives. Cord blood is the blood collected from the umbilical cord of the baby. Show at the time of pregnancy you must decide whether to Bank your baby’s cord blood or not. But before doing that you must know about certain facts of cord blood banking.

• As the umbilical cord that is the richest source of stem cells, so cord blood banking is done from the child’s umbilical cord. As these are undifferentiated cells, it can be preserved for a longer period of time.
• Umbilical cord blood stem cells are used for replacing the damaged cells of the body in case of any type of life-threatening diseases stem cells can become an option of treatment for the patient and their family members.
• Stem cells are the basic and undifferentiated cells, so they can be preserved for a lifetime. While retrieving the process of stem cell optimization is done to recover more than 99% of viable stem cells.
• Banking of cord blood does not cause any kind of risk to the mother of the baby. The reason behind is the collection of blood is done after the birth of the baby. Right after the delivery umbilical cord is clamped and cut then the cord blood is collected and kept in a Collection bag.
• Collection is an easy process and you can bring the kit Box with yourself at that time of delivery. The doctor for a phlebotomist will collect the blood and keep it in an x-ray free kit-box. It is then transported to the lab of the cord blood bank where it is further process for isolating the stem cells. After that is stem cells are cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen below -196 degree Celsius.
• Cord blood can be used for treating more than 80 diseases. Stem cells can treat diseases such as different kinds of blood disorders, immune diseases and cancer which are approved by clinical trials.
• Delay in umbilical cord clamping will not cause any kind of effect in the process of cord blood collection.
• Collected from the umbilical cord blood of the baby are known as a perfect match for the baby. In addition, the stem cell will also match with the siblings, parents and immediate family members.
• More than 35 thousands of stem cell transplants have been done for the world and nowadays it is being considered as most useful treatment.
• Treatment with stem cells had shown hundred percent of success rate in transplantation. In addition there are a less chances of infection and causing graft-versus-host disease to the recipient.

On a concluding note, I hope that the above information will be helpful for you to get an overview about cord blood banking. To know more about cord blood banking you can contact us on toll free number or chat with us.

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Most of the pregnant women, especially during the first trimester, have nausea and vomiting. You may have morning sickness at any time of day. It doesn’t mean that your baby is sick, nor does it hurt the baby. The sudden increase in hormones in your body is likely to cause pregnancy nausea. It is usually mild and goes through your pregnancy around the middle of the way. During pregnancy, some women never feel nauseous.

Morning sickness might be associated with vomiting. It is being thought that the morning sickness is a good sign of the growing placenta but as it is an irritating symptom there are several ways to help give you morning sickness relief.

According to certain reports, in the period of their pregnancy as many as eight out of every ten pregnant women will feel nauseated at some point, and up to six out of every ten women will have vomiting related to pregnancy. A quarter of pregnant women end up suffering such severe morning sickness that they find it difficult to go to work and complete other daily activities.

It is unknown the exact cause of this symptom of pregnancy. Although pregnancy is correlated with hormonal fluctuations, it has been proposed that hormones may be at fault. Many potential causes include blood pressure variations, changes in carbohydrate metabolism, or merely the huge physical and chemical changes that pregnancy triggers in the body.

Here are some of the tips that will help you to cope up with morning sickness.

• Getting plenty of physical rest and sleep.
• Eat small, but frequent meals all day long. This is so that the stomach is never too full or empty, both of which may aggravate nausea feelings.
• Consuming dry, salty or high-carbohydrate foods can help alleviate morning sickness.
• Some women also suggest that the main meals should eat high protein snacks.
• Avoiding nausea-aggravating foods. Commonly spicy and fatty foods can increase sickness feelings.
• Eat cold foods because they are less aromatic than hot foods. This is useful for women whose smell of food triggers nausea.
• Increase intake of fluid between meals rather than during meals. It may be easier to drink certain fluids such as sports drinks and diluted juices.
• It has been shown that opting for foods or drinks that contain ginger to relieve nausea.
• Take supplements with vitamin B6 as they have been shown to reduce nausea as well.
• Wear wristbands for acupressure. Usually, these are used to fight movement sickness by stimulating an acupressure point inside your wrist, and some women find these wristbands to reduce morning sickness symptoms.

While you are pregnant you must be dealing with morning sickness and many other pregnancy symptoms but still, you are excited about your baby. However, in all these excitement don’t forget about the health security of the baby and store your baby’s cord blood for future.

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The blood that remains during birth in the umbilical cord is called cord blood. This blood is normally discarded. However, cord blood bank uses amenities to store and preserve a baby’s cord blood. If you are considering to store the cord blood of your baby, be sure to use a cord blood bank accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).

The cord blood of your baby is an abundant source of HLA matched stem cells for your baby and family. Stem cells are pluripotent cells as they help to develop all body tissues, organs, and systems.

Stem cells can transform into other types of cells in the body to create new growth and development. They are the building blocks of the immune system as well. The transformation of these cells provides a way for doctors to treat leukaemia and certain inborn health disorders.

The stem cells collected from the baby’s cord blood can also be effective in treating certain diseases or conditions of a parent or sibling. Stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord blood have similar ability as bone marrow to treat the disease, with less rejection. Banking a baby’s cord blood and stem cells in a cord blood bank is a type of insurance. You may need to access your baby’s stem cells for treating any kind of medical illness. However, using a cord blood bank can give you peace of mind when you know that you have a valuable resource if you need it.

Cord blood collection process is safe and painless as it is done after the birth of the baby. It usually takes less than five minutes to complete the whole process. Cord blood collection does not disrupt the process of delivery and it is possible collect in case of both vaginal and caesarean deliveries.

Cord blood can only be collected during the first 15 minutes of birth and is kept in the storage bag covered with cooling pads. It is then sent to the laboratory within 72 hours for further processing. The baby’s cord blood is processed and stored in a lab called a blood bank. This processed cord blood is stored in a bank which had been accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) to store the stem cells.

Cord blood banking usually involves two fees. The first is the initial fee for enrolment in the company and the second fee is taken for the collection, processing and storage of the sample. However, this structure of fee differs according to different company which you will come to know after you go through the details of the pricing of a company.

As a leading of all the private cord blood banking companies, we had dedicated ourselves from last 18 years in serving the people of Southeast Asia. With our corporate office and laboratory in Kolkata, we are the only company using AXP®II technology for processing the cord blood. We are the only company providing stem cells of all the three lines which includes haematopoietic, mesenchymal and epithelial cell lines.

Our offers are unique such as to provide supplementary sample where there would be a mismatch with the required and the stored sample; providing alternate sample when the sample that is stored cannot be used due to detection of traits for genetic diseases; and providing additional sample, if there is a shortage of required sample.

Last but not the least if you are willing to secure the heath of your baby as well as the family then you can opt for our services and enjoy the benefit of exclusive rights to own your sample.

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Most of the couples think that whether they must store the cord blood of their baby or not? Cord blood banking may not initially appear to carry enough magnitude among various other crucial decisions; however, a close look at the various pros and cons of cord blood preservation may help informed decision-making.

Umbilical cord blood was once thrown away as medical waste, but now stem cells contained in this cord blood are stored to treat various diseases. Doctors prefer to use blood in therapies for stem cell transplantation. It’s because a new host is more tolerant of this blood and can be used without complete matching.

By choosing to preserve the umbilical cord, your child will be eligible for autologous treatment, including cancers such as neuroblastoma. The cord blood cells of the child may be used for type-1 diabetes and cerebral palsy in phase II clinical trials. The cells may also be used in a sibling to treat inherited genetic diseases. If a child needs a donor, a family member’s cells can be used as an allogeneic transplant.

Cord blood cells are more likely to match the genetic type of family members than the stem cells from the bone marrow. Research has shown that both parents and siblings have 25 percent higher chances of matching with newborn cord blood cells. In addition, in the treatment of various malignancies, immune diseases, metabolic disorders, the importance of therapeutic benefits found in cord blood cells is strongly felt. Benefits are still starting to emerge through scientific advances and are providing more parents in a cord blood banking facility to recognize cord blood storage, particularly when it is absolutely harmless and painless!

Umbilical cord blood contains stem cells that your family can preserve and use in the future to treat and cure diseases, as well as devastating injuries. More and more research is being carried out on medical treatments using stem cells of a newborn. There are currently over 70 diseases, including leukemia and other cancers, which have proved beneficial to stem cells.

If you decide to bank the cord blood of your newborn, these stem cells will be preserved and stored specifically for the future use of your family if necessary. When your baby is delivered, there is a small window of opportunity for your doctor to remove the blood from the umbilical cord. It’s painless and your newborn or you are not at risk. Once the cord blood is collected, it is sent to the processing facility of your choice for stem cell preservation. It’s a simple process, but a major investment in your family’s future health and well-being.

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Deciding a newborn’s name is definitely something that all parents spend time doing, but one rarely thought of or overlooked decision is to save the cord blood of your newborn.

The umbilical cord blood of your baby is rich in stem cells. These stem cells function as a factory. Wherever they are transplanted, they produce fresh blood cells. They have the ability to create red blood cells and platelets which can prevent the ailments that the existing blood cells of the patient will not be able to do.  Cord blood is the blood left after the delivery of a baby in the umbilical cord and placenta. This blood is rich in stem cells, which in the treatment of many diseases are becoming increasingly important.

It’s quite easy to collect the stem cells of your baby. All you need to do is decide that while you’re pregnant you want to do it. Yes, planning needs to be done for cord blood banking. Register with a good blood cord bank. If the doctors suspect something is wrong, a few tests could be done. Collecting blood from the umbilical cord will not harm your baby. It’s not hurting you either. After your baby is delivered, the blood is removed from your umbilical cord and disconnected from the umbilical cord. The specialist drains the blood from the cord and stores it in vials or special bags. It usually takes 10-15 minutes to complete the process.

The cord blood of your baby is a valuable source of genetically unique stem cells for your baby and family. Everyone is now talking about harvesting cord blood, which can either be in the form of a private business or a public health resource.

Cord blood banking in the medical and parental community is a very controversial matter. Blood collected in this way takes up to 180ml from the baby, which in prenatal medicine is a highly controversial subject. However, it is rich in hematopoietic stem cells, as we all know so the stem cells processed from the cord blood are used in a family to cure various serious diseases. It will ensure safety in the future against disease and disease.

Thus, by banking the cord blood stem cells of your baby, you could benefit from breakthrough uses in the future and be prepared for the unknown diseases. Umbilical cord blood banking promises to ensure the future use of stem cells to ensure infants or family members against serious diseases. Cord Blood Banks can provide you and your family with a safer future. It’s one of your family’s safest and safest ways to cope with some future illness.

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Every parent delivering their baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells in an up-market hospital in India today is told by their doctor to go ahead and store them. They made many promises about how valuable these stem cells are; how these stem cells can be used to replenish any kind of cell in the body in case the baby has a problem in the future; what makes these stem cells so valuable; and why they have only a limited window of opportunity at birth. The marketing game is that it is a very cost-effective investment because it could make a difference to the health of their child in the event that they will ever develop a medical problem in the future.

Reconstitution of bone marrow (transplantation) may be a life-saving procedure in a number of genetic, hematological, immunological, metabolic, and oncological disorders. The usual sources of hematopoietic progenitor cells to achieve this goal are allogeneic (related or unrelated) or autologous (self) bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. If autologous stem cells are not available or cannot be used, securing stem cells from an HLA-matched sibling is the best option for successful reconstitution therapy.

A number of private banks have been established to encourage parents to bank the cord blood of their children for their own self-use or for a family member’s direct donor allogeneic use if the need arises. Cord blood transplants have been successfully performed in adults using multiple cryopreserved units from separate donors, and the approach is currently being investigated as a strategy to increase the dose of cells for transplantation in a single recipient.

However, you must be thinking about donating your baby’s cord blood to a public bank. In that case, you have three choices –

• You throw your cord blood and lose the opportunity of treating diseases.
• You donate your cord blood and fail to have the access of your own stem cells
• Finally, just store your cord blood in the private bank and get some additional benefits from us.

Doctors should be aware of the unsubstantiated claims made to future parents by private cord blood banks that promise to insure infants or family members from serious diseases in the future through the use of cord blood stem cells. Although not standard of care, guided cord blood banking should be encouraged when there is knowledge of a full sibling in the family with a medical condition (malignant or genetic) that might benefit from cord blood transplantation.

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Cord Blood Bank’s concept is to collect and preserve Cord Blood or Placenta that is released during baby delivery by a pregnant mother. If it is possible to preserve amniotic fluid with the cord, this can cure many diseases through the generation of stem cells and rich blood content and can also be of assistance to surgery.

The blood left after birth is sometimes collected in the umbilical cord of newborn babies and used to treat specific diseases. You may consider banking cord blood for public donation or family use if you are an expectant parent. For someone with a chronic or terminal disease, this safe procedure could mean better health.

Cord blood is abundant in stem cells. These cells help the body tissue to grow and repair. They can become blood cells, bones, cartilage, and other tissues in the body. In many different types of medical treatment, as well as in medical research, stem cells are used.

You and your baby will still be connected through the umbilical cord after giving birth. Cord clamping is often delayed for at least 30 to 60 seconds after birth, which can provide your baby with great benefits such as increased blood volume, increased blood circulation, and reduced blood transfusion requirements. Cord cutting is the last step of your baby’s transition from womb life to life outside in the big, bright world.

Umbilical cord stem cells can be collected at the time of birth through a simple, non-invasive process without harming the mother or the baby. With age, the quality and quantity of stem cells in our bodies diminish significantly. By collecting and preserving these stem cells of the umbilical cord at birth, access to the youngest and purest cells is possible.

Cord blood is usually thrown away after birth, but some families choose to pay for storing it with a private bank for future use of the baby or any immediate family member or to donate it to a public bank where cord blood can be used to treat peoples suffering from severe ailments and also to save the blood for direct donation to a biological sibling.

Umbilical cord stem cells today can treat many medical conditions. Clinical trials around the world are monitoring these stem cells ‘ ability to treat other medical conditions. Once preserved, there is no expiration date for these stem cells. They can be preserved for a lifetime and will be requested for treatment whenever the need arises in the future. White Blood Cell Count, Haemoglobin, and Platelet are richer in blood content.

Privately or publicly banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood is a personal choice and entirely up to the pregnant woman and her family. Understanding the cord blood banking details and the entire process can help you and your family make the best decision.

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Are you worried about the future health of your family? Do not worry as by preserving the cord blood of your child will provide your family with a potential way of treatment to various life-threatening ailments.

Cord blood banking is the process of collection as well as storage of the stem cells from the umbilical cord. All of these stem cells are adaptable and can treat various diseases that can be regenerated into any type of cells.

Private cord blood banks mainly take a reasonable amount of fee for the collection, processing and storing the umbilical cord blood stem cells of your child. This method is performed so that the stored stem cells can be used for emerging treatments in the future for your family. There are some public banks where the cord blood is stored for free of cost but in this case, you cannot retrieve the stem cells of your own baby.

Two main storage of cord blood are:

• Donating the cord blood at a public bank can be used to match with the patients suffering from the severe medical condition.
• Storing of the cord blood in a private stem cell bank will help to retrieve your baby’s stem cells whenever you will need it.

Medical staff usually collects cord blood right after birth, but if parents want to participate in delayed cord clamping, they can also wait for several minutes. The clamping is done just like a normal procedure and for both the mother and her baby it is completely painless. First, as a normal umbilical cord removal, the cord is clamped and cut. The medical staff must be trained on proper collections of cord blood— if they wait too long, the blood clots will be unnecessary for storage. Then the blood is pulled out. A needle is placed in the cord and the rest of the blood is gently pulled out. This medical device is kept away from your baby, so it’s as safe as possible.

Then the blood is shipped to your chosen bank, where it is tested. The bank cryogenically freezes the cord blood if the stem cells are usable, so it remains useful for decades to come. Several banks offer cord tissue services that will increase your family’s amount of banked stem cells— at an additional cost. More than 80 diseases can currently be treated using cord blood stem cells, with more treatments emerging each year. The FDA has approved leukemia, aplastic anemia and other hazardous life-threatening diseases for cord blood therapies.

A clinical trial is looking at new therapies using cord blood in addition to current treatments. These include cerebral paralysis, autism, and diabetes of type 1. If current trials are successful, the treatment of cord blood may become a common practice in the next few years.

Many parents are concerned about the viability of cord blood— will the cells they are banking twenty years from now still be usable? Researchers state that there is no expiration date for frozen cord blood. This means that cryogenically preserved stem cells still have decades of proper functioning. One scientist tested the viability of cord blood from 23 years of age, and the sample remained in perfect condition. While cord blood as n innovative methods in the field of regenerative studies is still rising and striving to the future of stem cell therapy is hopeful for many researchers and medical professionals.

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Cord blood is the baby’s blood left after birth in the umbilical cord and placenta. It contains unique cells called hematopoietic stem cells which can be used to treat certain disease types. Most cells can only make their own copies. A skin cell, for instance, can only make another skin cell. However, hematopoietic stem cells may mature in the body into various types of blood cells. Hematopoietic stem cells are also found in adults and kids in the blood and bone marrow.

Hematopoietic stem cells can be used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases, including immune system diseases, genetic disorders, neurological disorders, and certain forms of cancer, that includes lymphoma and leukemia. Stem cells are the primary therapy for some of these diseases. For others, stem cell treatment may be used if other treatments have not worked or in programs of experimental research.

Compared to bone marrow use, the use of stem cells in cord blood to treat a disease has the following advantages:

• Cord blood stem cells may be given to more people than bone marrow cells. When a cord blood transplant is used, more matches are possible than when a bone marrow transplant is used. Furthermore, cord blood stem cells are less likely to induce dismissal than bone marrow cells.
• Collecting bone marrow is more difficult than collecting cord blood. Bone marrow collection presents some risks and may be painful to the donor.
• It is possible to froze and store cord blood. It’s ready for whoever needs it. Shortly after it is collected, bone marrow must be used.
• During treatments for cancer, stem cells in cord blood can be used to strengthen the immune system. The stem cells of the bone marrow do not have this capability.

One of two types of banks keeps cord blood: public or private. They differ in significant ways that might have an impact on your decision. However before collection of the cord blood following things must be done:

• You must notify the bank and obtain a collection kit in advance (usually 6 weeks or more) of your due date. Some hospitals contain collection kits, while others are not.
• The medical history of family must be provided and the blood of the mother must be tested.
• Consent before the commencement of labor pain must be given to the hospital.

You have to sign a contract and pay the fee before the baby is born if you choose a private bank. Sometimes it is not possible to collect enough cord blood. This problem may occur if the baby is premature or if the umbilical cord clamping is decided to delay. It can also happen without any apparent reason.

In case of an emergency care must be given to the mother and the baby rather than collecting blood from the newborn for cord blood banking. The reason behind is the motto of the doctors is first to take care about the health of the mother and the baby and reduce the risk of their life.

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There was a huge growth in the cord blood industry during the period of the mid-late 2000s. Through the past few years, the cord blood market had become compact and matured. In addition to North Asia and Southeast Asia, the growth had been also seen in North American as well as the European countries. As the cord blood industry has significantly matured throughout the world, so there are some opportunities and threats that are laying impact on the industry.

If you are thinking that how there can be any threat for such a useful process of cord blood banking? Then it can be said that

“YOU KNOW NOTHING”

and there are lots of threats that include:

• Low consumption rate of the cord blood units which are stored.
• The cord blood transplantation is an expensive procedure.
• Requirement of accreditation increases the cost structure of the cord blood banks. To obtain an industry accreditation a cord blood bank needs a huge expense.
• Cord blood has now become the most expensive products in the market which has led to the increase in the market pressure on the companies.
• The competition in price is another threat because there are many competitors offering discounts in their price plans.
• Other factors of threat are continuous requirement of accreditation, natural calamities that can harm the infrastructure, inadequate knowledge among the people about cord blood banking and many others.

In addition, there are some opportunities too:

• HLA mismatch transplants become less as the stem cells are used from the family.
• Occurrence of GVHD becomes less and now-a-days it becomes easy to treat GVHD.
• Increase in the regulatory pathways for stem cell transplantation.
• Clinical trials on stem cell therapy are ongoing to approve more diseases that could be treated by stem cell therapy.
• Improving the knowledge of stem cell therapy among common people.

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After a baby is born, the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta has unique cells in it which can treat and cure certain serious diseases. The blood can be collected and stored — and  many private cord blood banking companies are encouraging parents to do the preservation in case that their child or any family member may develop  any life-threatening disease in their life.

Many parents are considering whether to save the cord blood of their baby as a future investment. Cord blood may be beneficial in dealing with any problems that arise later.

Choosing to save the cord blood of your baby can be a hard choice. It can be quite expensive to store the blood for many years, and there is very little chance which your child will need. Also the use of cord blood is too much easy and less painful than the process of bone marrow transplant.

Stem cell transplants, also commonly known as transfusions, are always an integral part of blood and immune disease treatment, such as lymphoma, leukemia, immune deficiency syndrome and other forms of anemia. Healthy stem cells from a genetically compatible donor’s blood or bone marrow are used to “regenerate” the diseased person’s blood and immune system. A sibling has the best opportunity to match, but an unrelated donor must be found in most cases.

Blood that is saved and stored at birth for these stem cells is a potential new source for umbilical cord blood. Even more parents had to face the decision to “bank” their newborn baby’s cord blood since the first successful cord blood cell transplant was performed 15 years ago. When your baby or any other member if ever need a stem cell transplant, then the stem cells taken from the cord blood can be used. It reduces the difficulty of finding a donor from the national registry. In addition to this, cord blood stem cells have other uses which will be discovered in near future by the researchers.

Moreover, some parents choose to save the baby’s cord blood, reason is that they do not want to lose any chances to take this preventive step and safeguard the life of family.

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When a woman becomes pregnant for the first time, they had to make many decisions. During pregnancy, the umbilical cord is the life of the baby attached to the placenta. The umbilical cord contains two feet twisted long vein which transports oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s placenta. Also, two arteries which carries oxygen as well as nutrient less blood from foetus to mother. As the blood of mother does not mixes with the foetal blood so the placental and the cord blood belongs to the baby.

The umbilical cord is previously considered as medical waste but now-a-days it can be said as a biological treasure. Previously the stem cells are being extracted from the bone marrow of the patient itself but this process was too much painful. The reason behind is the extraction of stem cells from bone marrow requires surgery that is being done by the use of anaesthesia and also requires drug which helps in stimulating the production of stem cells.

However, the process of stem cells extraction from the umbilical cord blood is painless and is done during the birth of the baby. Stem cells are basically blank cells that can be transformed into any cell type like a muscle cell, a brain cell, or a red blood cell. Through their sibling donor cord blood transplantation program, which began in 1997, Children’s Hospital Oakland doctors used stem cells from umbilical cord blood to cure more than 100 children with chronic blood-related diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, however, at least 16,000 people with chronic autoimmune disorders are unable to receive the bone marrow or cord blood transplantation they need every year as they cannot find a match.

Some researchers suspect that there are other cells in the umbilical cord blood that may have therapeutic effects beyond the blood. For example, specialized immune cells can tweak brain function. Trials around the world are currently under investigation to study the capabilities of umbilical cord blood in a wide range of diseases such as cerebral palsy, autism, diabetes, and lupus. In Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, the cells are even being tested for an improving role.

Researchers are excited about the potential powers of these cells. But it is far from clear what this scientific hope means for expectant parents facing cord blood banking decisions. There are many reasons for all the promise why umbilical cord cells may be less useful than thought. Apart from the drawbacks, the use of umbilical cord blood is much more important for saving the life of any patient. Hence storing of the stem cells from the placenta or the umbilical cord is useful.

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Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells which can give rise to various types of cells that builds up a human body. The embryonic cells are formed from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst and the blastocyst is the early stage of the embryo before the implantation. Adult stem cells have demonstrated an effective human therapeutic potential. Currently, human embryonic stem cells are used principally for understanding growth and disease development but also hold enormous medicinal potential.

The capability to preserve stem cells is difficult for their use in medical applications. The benefits of stem cell preservation allow the movement of cells between sites, as well as completion of safety and quality testing. Preservation allows the development of a ‘manufacturing paradigm’ for cell therapies, thereby maximizing the number of products that can be produced at a given facility

Let Us Explore the Benefits Of Preserving Stem Cells

1. It Can Save Life

Umbilical cord blood is an extremely rich source of stem cells that are used to treat more than 80 life threatening diseases and disorders – including cancer, blood disorders, immune system disorders, and genetic diseases. Stem cells can also rebuild the immune system after chemotherapy and be used as an alternative to a bone marrow transplant.

2. Cord Blood Stem Cells Will Always Be a Perfect Match for Your Baby

There are no ifs or buts about this.

Stem cells can help to repair or rebuild injured or damaged cells for your child and potentially other family members too.

3. Cord Blood Stem Cells Have Potential Sibling/Family Use

There’s a 1:4 (25%) chance of being a perfect match for a sibling. With cord blood transplants, it is however not always necessary to have a perfect match and, depending, for example, on the number of stem cells in the collection, a lesser match may be acceptable.

4. Stem Cell Research is Revealing Exciting Future Uses

Science is progressing every day. There are already a number of clinical trials which are being undertaken with umbilical cord blood and cord tissue stem cells – these include clinical trials for blood disorders, as well as for neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, stroke, anoxic and traumatic brain injury, for diabetes and, for example, for muscle repair and arthritis.

5. Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Have Greater Therapeutic Potential

Umbilical cord stem cells are young and active in comparison with stem cells from other sources like the bone marrow which mean that they can differentiate faster. Think of it as the master template!

The umbilical cord blood stem cells are also more ‘immunologically naïve’ than bone marrow stem cells as they have not been exposed to outside immune stimulation (such as infections). In allogeneic transplants (such as between siblings) they are less likely to cause the transplant-related complication of graft-versus-host disease.

Another important reason to store at birth is that your baby’s stem cells will be collected and ready to use immediately if necessary. There is no need to take the time to locate a possible donor for bone marrow and then determine whether he or she is still willing and able to donate if required for a sibling transplant.

A 1 in a 100 000 chance isn’t enough – depending on a person’s tissue type, the chance of finding a bone marrow donor may be less than 1 in a 100 000.

6. You Can Store Your Baby’s Stem Cells For 20 Years or More

Stem cells are stored in special cryo-preservation bags which are overwrapped and placed, individually, in aluminium protective cases. Each sample is labelled with a unique identifying code and stored, in a cryo-preservation tank, in the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen (at approximately minus 196°c). Evidence shows that after 23 years of preservation at these world-class standards, stem cells are still healthy and good to use. Therefore, it is conceivable that these cells will be stored for many years in the future – making it a lasting gift to your children that could even be passed on to grandkids.

7. You Have An Option of Storing Your Baby’s Stem Cells Locally or Internationally

If you are moving countries, you can chat to stem cell banks about moving the storage somewhere close to you. It can be shipped in their frozen state anywhere in the world. You would, however, be liable for the cost of the relocation.

The use of stem cells to treat injury or disorders by introducing healthy cells to damaged tissues has been considered a medical breakthrough and nowadays it has become the best possible treatment for a wide range of diseases. These include the treatment of some deadly diseases whose cure is not being discovered yet. So, before getting too late let us save the umbilical cord and preserve it for further use.

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Cord blood banking has a number of health benefits to both the children and their parents. Let’s learn about cord blood banking. What it is exactly?

Cord blood banking is a process of collecting and storing the baby’s umbilical cord blood at the time of birth. The umbilical cord blood has stem cells inside them, which can be either stored or kept in storage or donation. The umbilical cord and placenta are otherwise discarded as medical waste. Stem cells can be used to treat a variety of diseases. They are collected immediately after the baby is born and the cells are then shifted to a lab and stored there for further medical use.

What is the Importance of Cord Blood?

The stem cells from cord blood are considered unique because they’re not developed into specific types of cells. That is, they have the potential to turning up to a variety of cells that will cater to different functions in the body. However, one important thing to remember is, you can only collect stem cells at the time of birth. So, you got only a single chance to save these highly valuable cells.

Saving stem cells is extremely advantageous as it can help to treat about 80 diseases. Certain forms of disorders like leukaemia, lymphomas, and anaemia are some of them. The HSCs or the Hematopoietic stem cells are found in cord blood. They have the capability to be a 100% match to the baby, 25% match to a sibling and about 50% chance of partially matching a sibling or parent. So, this means if any of your loved ones or family member ever need a stem cell transplant, there is a match already available for them!

What is Private Cord Blood Banking?

One can save cord blood stem cells in a private cord blood bank only for themselves and their family members. One has to pay a fee for transporting, storing and any necessary medical facility if needed for any transplant. It is most likely that your baby’s cord blood stem cells will match with you or any related family member. You wouldn’t need to run around for finding a donor or a match.

What is Public Cord Blood Banking?

Public cord blood bank works on donation and funding. They offer stem cells to anyone in need at no charge. One can search for a stem cell transplant for a match outside of the family member.

Stem cells in private cord blood banks are only available for people who own them and their family members. While, in public cord blood bank, stem cells are not available to you or your family member. You no longer owe the stem cells after you’ve donated them. Public cord blood bank does not pay for the fee involved in the transfer of stored cord blood to the necessary medical facility. So, if you ever need a transplant, it could be quite expensive to opt for stem cells from a public cord blood bank.

Also, you might find that not all hospitals are associated with public cord blood banks. So, before deciding to donate, you may have to check if the facility is available where you give birth.

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Umbilical cord was at first discovered in 1974, as the main source of hematopoietic stem cells as well as the progenitor cells. The first transplantation of the umbilical cord was done in 1988 for the treatment Fanconi Anemia in France. Earlier the tissues of the umbilical cord were considered as a waste but in the past decade, it has been seen that these tissues can be used for deriving mesenchymal stem cells, from various compartments of the umbilical cord. These compartments are the intervascular, perivascular, subendothelial layer of blood vessels and sub-amniotic zones of Wharton’s jelly. The main disadvantage is the transient nature of the tissue of the Umbilical cord as it is only available for a short time of period after postpartum. However, cryopreservation can be used for the preservation of umbilical cord and its components. Here you can get the details about the cryopreservation of the different types of umbilical cord vessels.

Cryopreservation of Umbilical Cord-derived Vessel

The UC blood vessels are cut off in an appropriate diameter without any branches. It makes the UC derived vessels as the most effective for the cryopreservation. The process of cryopreservation of the umbilical cord does not infer the preservation of the components of the cell. So, the medium of cryopreservation is composed up off saline solution. The cryopreservation of the cord blood vessels can be preserved in the walls of blood vessels.

Cryopreservation of Wharton’s Jelly

Wharton’s jelly is a gelatinous substance which cannot be found in the human body after the birth. It helps in protecting the blood vessels and provides flexibility to the cord. It consists of a huge amount of growth factors and components of the extracellular matrix as collagen, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and hyaluronic acid.

Cryopreservation of the UC Cellular Component

The storage of sperm on dry ice was first started in the year 1953. After that, the dry ice was replaced by liquid nitrogen for long term storage of the sperm. The process of cryopreservation allows preservation in both suspensions as well as whole tissue fragmentation. Contemporary cryopreservation technologies support the long-term preservation of the cells that can preserve the adipose tissue, follicle tissue, fragments of bone marrow, ovarian and testicular tissues after thawing. The umbilical cord tissue must be processed before the storage so that it can reduce the time, expenses of the material help in storing the cells in natural environments, and the cells can be isolated as well as expanded as per requirements.

Prospects of Umbilical Cord Banking

UC derived cells are needed for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, failures of skeletal muscles, neurological autoimmune disorders. So, there is a huge demand for the preservation of the blood vessels, cellular component, and WJ. The effectiveness of obtaining cells from the thawed tissues of the umbilical cord is mainly affected by the cryoprotectant medium, protocol for isolation of cells and the mode of freezing.

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Cord blood is the blood that is found in the umbilical cord of the baby. The umbilical cord helps to create a connection between the mother and the child for passing various types of nutrients from the mother to the baby. In the past, the umbilical cord was thrown away because it was treated as a waste. However, after the discovery of the regenerative medicine, most of the parents are willing to store the cord blood of their babies at the cord blood unit or to a cord blood bank.

The process of collecting the cord blood from the umbilical cord is very simple. At first, the blood is extracted from the umbilical cord by the help of a needle from the cord that is attached to the placenta. Then the blood is collected into a bag that comes with the collection kit. It was then sent to the laboratory for the processing which must be done within the timeframe of 72 hours. The sample is then tested at the laboratory and is frozen.

Cord blood contains stem cells which include blood stem cells, skin stem cells and rest of the body cells. These cells help to regenerate the tissues of the body so the cord blood can be referred to as a medicine that can be used for the regeneration of the tissues. Cord blood is now approved by DCGI that it can be used for treating more than 80 diseases. The diseases that can be treated by cord blood are leukemia, metabolic disorders, anemia, tumor and orthopedic disturbances. It has also been discovered that cord blood is helpful in various kinds of untreatable diseases such as autism, Alzheimer’s disease and cerebral palsy.

The immune system of our body is designed in such a way so that it can detect the foreign cells in our body and remove or destroy them. The cord blood that is taken from the umbilical cord is always a proper match for the baby. Also, the immediate family members such as siblings, parents along with uncles, aunts and grandparents are also having the possibility of getting a match.
The cord blood bank sends a collection kit, that is taken by the expected parents to the center of delivery. During the birth, the umbilical cord is cut in a normal procedure and the blood is collected by the healthcare provider. The collection kit is taken by a member of the umbilical cord bank who was present at the birth center.

There are different methods of processing of the cord blood that leads to the purification of the cord blood before the preservation of the final product. Once the cells are being isolated and are extracted from the RBCs and plasma. They are then mixed with the cryoprotectant and are stored in a cryo-bag by a process known as controlled freezing. This process is done for the long-term preservation of cells so that they can be used in future for the treatment of various kinds of untreatable diseases.

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Obesity is a growing concern for the upcoming generation, and it has been a leading health problem for people across the world for many years now. Most surprisingly, we did not have any potential therapeutics to ward off its complications, adding to our woes and dilemma.

The reasons could be a lack of transparent methodical procedures to find its etiologies as well as pathophysiologies.

As per a new study, obesity is the result of neural functions, which monitors a signal between hunger and satiety. The first time ever revelation could lead to a better evaluation of experimental therapies for obese patients, and find them better results with just the right kind of treatment.

Scientists at Cedar Sinai have reprogrammed brain neurons of patients with obesity using iPSC hypothalamic Neurons. These lab grown new neurons are promising to aid in the development of specific treatment procedures for the patients with specific symptoms by gauging the functions of brain in obese individuals.

The inclemency of obesity does not need much description to explain its characteristics towards the sufferers. If statistics are to be believed, a huge U.S population is suffering from this debilitating disease. They are more prone to suffer a cardiac attack, glucose complications, strokes and different types of cancers. That apart, the young generation is at a higher risk, and there is a growing concern for childhood obesity too, hindering the next generation from leading a better life.

How The Study Proved An Influence Of The Brain On Obesity?

It is the hypothalamus region in the brain, which controls the feeling of hunger and fullness using neurons by integrating endocrine signals. This is what the new study has concentrated, and shed light on the causes of obesity. Apart from monitoring hunger and fullness of the brain, it is linked with the regulation of the body temperature and other physiological functions.

Partly, obesity occurs due to the genetic mutations in the specific hypothalamic neurons. The metabolic procedure is also regulated by these neurons. In addition, these neurons help ease the communication process between the brain and gastrointestinal tract. When there is a malfunctioning of these neurons, it triggers a problem, making it tough for us to differentiate between the feeling of hunger and satiety. So, with no proper sense of self food need, our brain is likely to chomp too much food without any signal, resulting in overweight.

Since, it is not possible to carry the study on living patients, scientists turned to iPSC technology to assess the efficacy of the study.

Process of The Study

Scientists collected blood and skin specimens from five super obese people with a BMI of 50 or more, while seven individuals of normal weight with a BMI of 25 provided their samples too. These cells were then coaxed to produce induced pluripotent stem cells as they have the potential to develop into any cell types in the body, and finally they were manipulated to transform into hypothalamus neurons. The produced stem cells had the same genetic expressions as the donor cells.

There was a huge difference between iPSCs derived cells from the obese and normal individuals. The obese cells were found to contain numerous genetic mutations, and they did not respond in compliance with the hormones responsible for monitoring a series of functions like hunger, satiety and metabolism.

The study proved how iPSCs could be the potential tool to examine the etiology of obesity. Therefore, it is possible to influence the chemical signal between the genes and environment to influence its occurrences.

However, as of now, there is only one hurdle to create a connection among gut, liver, pancreas and other organs like human hypothalamus neurons, which is largely missing with the lab grown iPSCs. We are hopeful that studies will be successful to remove that hurdle too, and create an advanced therapeutic for obesity in the future.

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Life is truly uncertain with its bout of ailments and untreatable diseases. This is why scientists and doctors are always in an attempt to come up with revolutionary cures and regenerative cures. And all across the globe there are miracle stories being circulated about the advanced stem cell and gene therapy and others that have cured chronic ailments. One such story is about a South African boy and his ailment. It’s Gene Therapy that has brought him back to life and made him turn a new leaf.

Born in South Africa, Ayaan Isaacs has always come across as a healthy boy. However, soon after he was born, the boy had been diagnosed with a chronic liver infection. Though he had survived the ailment, weeks later the doctors discovered that Ayaan also has an ailment that was far more dangerous than just a bad liver. It’s a rather rare ailment that left his immune system from functioning badly, to not functioning at all.

This boy got diagnosed with SCID that stands for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency. This ailment is commonly referred as a “bubble baby” ailment. Patients suffering from this ailment are prone to infection and are required to live in an absolute germ-free environment. It has been estimated that the SCID patients can walk back to complete cure when subjected to a complete blood stem cell transplant. But for this having a genetically matched donor is essential. However, Ayaan didn’t receive any matched donor. Hence, the outcome wasn’t a positive one.

The little boy’s parents in a desperate attempt to cure Ayaan had said yes to an alternative treatment. This was a clinical trial that was taking place in the St. Jude’s Children’s Research hospital located in Memphis, Tennessee. This trial was aimed to head SCID patients with a stem cell gene therapy that attributes the patients with a completely new immune system. This therapy is all about taking the blood-forming stem cells of the patient and then treating the mutation which leads to SCID. The cured blood stem cells are usually transplanted back to the patient. It is here that a new and healthy immune system gets build.

Thankfully, Ayaan was successful in enrolling on this mentioned clinical trial. Apparently, he happened to be the very first child in the entire African continent to have access to an advanced gene therapy. His journey towards fighting with the bubble boy ailment was talked about all across South Africa. The gene therapy that Ayaan was treated to helped him revive back to life. It is essential to understand that the therapy is an experimental one. Hence, at times complications might come up. However, one must always walk ahead with courage and make the most of the treatment.

Ayaan was also featured in many videos narrating his story. It gave hope and courage to millions, who are fighting similar debilitating life threatening ailments. And considering the fact that one boy went ahead with a regenerative treatment is ample courage to many who are ailing from SCID.

Today, akin to SKID there are several diseases that are not heard of. Often doctors remain unsure as to how to go about treating the ailment as there’s always a first time to a chronic ailment. However, today stem cell gene therapy and cord blood stem cell treatment has been helping patients to combat serious ailments.

Furthermore, what gains importance through such stories is that, parents and families should count in for cord blood stem cell banking without a doubt. Whether you’re a donor or a receiver, the fact that your cord blood can cure you and others, ensures the miracle that life is.

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Spina bifida is a debilitating condition that affects around 1,500 to 2,000 babies in the U.S. annually. There are about 90% of children who lose their life due to Spina bifida. It leads to lower-limb paralysis in the baby born and is considered a congenital birth defect. However, an experimental stem cell therapy with surgery carried out by a research team from UC Davis Health System has given hope to patients around the world.

What is Spina Bifida?

Spina bifida is a condition wherein the spinal cord of the fetus does not close properly. It occurs even before the mother is aware is she is pregnant. Normally, the neural tube in an embryo unfurls and closes by the 28^th day of gestation. This leads to the formation of a complete brain and spinal column. However, in some the neural tube fails to close and causes a small hole in the spinal column of the fetus, that is, back. Spina bifida means cleft spine. As the fetus continues to grow, the spinal cord and nerves grow out of the baby’s back. As it is exposed to the amniotic fluid, it can lead to nerve damage and some levels of paralysis from the area downward. It can also lead to many other associated conditions such as kidney dysfunction, bladder dysfunction, brain stem malformation, and even hydrocephalus.

Most children with spina bifida die after birth due to an infection to the open spinal cord, renal failure or hydrocephalus-related seizures.

Combining Fetal Surgery with Stem Cell Treatment

The fetal surgery for spina bifida helps in improving brain development. However, it did not do much for motor function. The Management of Myelomeningocele Study has shown the effectiveness of a fetal surgery for brain development, but many children could not walk independently even after 30 months of age.

A study was conducted in an animal model by fetal surgeon Diana Farmer who was the senior author of the above landmark study. She is considered to be a pioneer in utero treatment for spina bifida. Her chief collaborator in this study was Aijun Wang, the co-director of the UC Davis Surgical Bioengineering Laboratory.

They are the first to combine fetal surgery with a placental stem cell treatment. This combination can help in reducing the effects of spina bifida. One of the most common and disabling forms of spina bifida is myelomeningocele. It leads to the emergence of the spinal cord through the back and often pulls the brain tissue into the spinal column leading to draining of the cerebrospinal fluid into the interior of the brain. The condition requires permanent shunts to drain the extra fluid.

How Does This Unique Surgery Help?

For this study, lambs with myelomeningocele were given fetal surgery to help return the exposed spinal tissue into the spinal canal. They applied the human placenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (PMSCs) on the site of the lesion. The PMSCs are well-known for their neuroprotective qualities. The scaffold was placed on the top to keep the hydrogel in position and the repair was surgically was closed.

There 6 lambs were given the stem cell treatment. They were able to walk with a noticeable disability within a few hours after birth. The other 6 control animals given only the hydrogel and scaffold could not even stand.

This study has given big hope in expanding the treatment in children with spinal bifida. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine continues to fund Farmer and Wang for their study. They hope to receive further evaluation and FDA approval to begin trials in human to see if this process can help children with spina bifida live out of their wheelchairs.

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A child was saved from a life-threatening skin disease. The doctors replaced 80% of his skin made from his own cells. This is also known as transgenic replacement. This procedure shows the ability of the skin stem cells to cure a distressing disorder. This procedure helps clarify the way the skin regenerates.

Suffering from Epidermolysis bullosa, a genetic disease where the mutated proteins stop the epidermal layer of the skin from attaching to the dermis properly. This results in chronic wounds, blisters, immense pain and infections and many times it results in diseases that can be lethal.

The child suffered from a severe form of epidermolysis bullosa. The reason was a gene mutation of laminin b3, which controls the anchoring of the epidermal cells. He had 80 percent loss of epidermis. His chances of survival were small.

A biopsy was done to extract keratinocytes from undamaged epidermis. It was expanded in culture and then transuded with a retroviral vector carrying the healthy version of laminin b3 coding sequence.

These cells grow as a sheet and are expanded until enough sheets were created to cover the child’s limbs and torso. Three operations helped cover the entire body. After a few weeks the cells that were transplanted proliferated to the wounds closing them.

The new skin stuck to the dermis and had normal morphology and levels of laminin b3. The skin had normal elasticity and wound healing action.

The transgenic skin showed how keratinocytes regenerates. Each month the human skin is replaced completely with new cells. But it is not known if this is the result of large number of potent progenitor cells or small number of stem cells which dominate the regeneration.

The presence of genotypes in the biopsy was a good sign. Patients with epidermolysis bullosa are more prone to cancer. By replacing the diseased cells with functional transgenic the risk is decreased.

There are many different forms of epidermolysis bullosa, including simplex, dystrophic and, junctional. Each is due to a different genetic fault leading to different building blocks of skin going missing.

For each person a different gene, different protein will result in a different outcome. If the treatment works the therapy can last a lifetime. The long living stem cells constantly renew his genetically modified skin. And the skin grows as he grows.

Transgenic stem cells can regenerate an entire tissue. This is good news to over 500,000 patients who suffer from epidermolysis around the world. It also is a blueprint to use genetically modified stem cells to treat many diseases.

A matchbook size piece of skin was cloned and modified for sheets of skin for the child’s entire body. This regenerated skin does not require ointment. They reproduced as many cells as they wanted. This is not like grafting skin from one body to another. Previously only the only stem cells that have worked are the hematopoietic stem cells in blood and bone marrow.

This proves that stem cells are engraftable. The parent cell can reproduce and differentiate into certain cell populations for a particular organ.

This is the first indication that there’s another stem cell population beyond hematopoietic stem cells that’s able to do that.

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Cord blood has opened a new gateway in the field of alternative medicine.  Even though the concept of cord blood has been around since 1983, the first ever successful cord blood transplant was conducted on a six year old boy, who was suffering from Fanconi’s Anemia in 1983. Since then umbilical cord blood has been used in numerous therapies and transplants successfully.

Cord blood banking is a process of collecting stem cells in which umbilical cord blood is clamped and cut after a baby is born. These stem cells are adaptable cells that have the ability to regenerate and regrow. For this quality, these stem cells are used in treating more than 80 diseases and disorders now. There are two types of cord blood banking: Private and Public.

In private cord blood banking, you can store your baby’s store blood by investing a small amount of money. In exchange, you would retain the sole ownership of the stem cells, derived from the cord blood. This is the reason that more and more parents are opting for private cord blood banking, so they can use the stem cells any time in the future. On the contrary, you donate your cord blood in a public cord blood bank. Once donated, you cannot claim it in the future. Stem cells stored in public cord blood banks are used primarily in researchers and medical studies.

Once you save your baby’s cord blood, the stem cells can be used to treat any member of the close family circuit. For example, if you save your younger child’s cord blood, the stem cells can be transplanted to your elder child. They can also be used to treat any disease or disorder in you or your partner.

And the amazing part is, there is no need to match the cells before the transplant unlike bone marrow transplants. In bone marrow transplants, doctors need to go for graft vs. host disease (GVHD) matching, just to ensure safety and stability of the transplant. With cord blood stem cells, doctors can do away with GVHD matching. Since umbilical cord blood stem cells are inborn in nature, they are adaptive to any circumstances. Therefore the chances of rejection are also minimal to zero.

Now let’s take a look at the diseases and disorders that can be treated with cord blood stem cells.

Researchers have proved that cord blood stem cells can treat many types of cancer such as lymphoma, leukemia, and autoimmune. Apart from that these stem cells are extremely useful in treating the aftereffects of stroke, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. Disorders like autism, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease are also treated with cord blood stem cells. Patients treated with the stem cells have shown immense improvement in the first 6 months.

So, once you save your child’s umbilical cord blood with a private cord blood bank, you can not only safeguard your child’s future, but also protect your family. Even though there is a fee attached, but for a safer and worry-free future, it’s totally worth it.

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Researchers who work on neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease need to access diseased human brain cells very frequently. In that process, they create diseased human brain cells from human pluripotent stem cells in the lab. However, the main problem in the procedure is, they cannot regenerate enough diseased neurons to study the diseases more closely. This is the reason that the diseases still cannot be detected at an early stage or we don’t have any proper drug to delay the occurrence of the diseases.

To overcome the issue, scientists would need a resource to regenerate human brain cells in bulk. To address it, a team of researchers from Lund University built a new technique to effectively regenerate brain cells in bulk from patients, suffering from neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s diseases. Dr. Malin Parmar is the senior author of the study, which is published in EMBO Molecular Medicine.

Earlier studies showed that reprogramming the cells back to the pluripotent stem cell state wipes out the aging effects in the cells. So, the team employed an alternative method to create the neurons. The approach involved turning the human skin cells into brain cells. They did not reprogram the skin cells to the pluripotent stem cells in the first place. The method is called “direct conversion”, which is considered to be an efficient shortcut to regenerate mature brain cells in a dish. Once the direct conversion was applied, the aging signs remained intact, which resulted in an aging brain.

Parmar explained, “Primarily, we inhibited a protein, REST, involved in establishing identity in cells that are not nerve cells. After limiting this protein’s impact in the cells during the conversion process, we’ve seen completely different results.” This technique also helped them to study aging brain cells at different levels of the diseases, as aging is one of the main risk factors in these diseases.

The method was developed entirely to regenerate human brain cells in large quantities, so the scientists have access to a sufficient number of diseases brain cells to conduct their researches. However, early detection also plays a significant role in treating diseases. For this reason, as well, the scientists wanted a technique that offers a way to test new drugs to treat or delay the symptoms of these neurodegenerative diseases.

The team also created two proteins, Ascl1 and Brn2. These proteins are important to regenerate brain cells. Parmar said, “We’ve been playing around with changing the dosage of the other components in the previous method, which also proved effective. Overall, the efficiency is remarkable. We can now generate almost unlimited amounts of neurons from one skin biopsy.”

Dr. Johan Jakobsson, the co-author of the study said, “This takes us one step closer to reality, as we can now look inside the human neurons and see what goes on inside the cell in these diseases. If all goes well, this could fundamentally change the field of research, as it helps us better understand the real mechanisms of the disease. We believe that many laboratories around the world would like to start testing on stem cells to get closer to the diseases.”

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Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells. These cells are the specialized cells that are able to differentiate into other types of cells. They also have the ability to replace affected cells with new cells. For this reason, cord blood stem cells have been used in many transplants, where patients require regrowth of cells by replacing the affected ones. In this article, we will see how stem cells are being used to treat various lung and kidney diseases.

Earlier researches have shown successful transplants by differentiating stem cells into brain cells, blood cells or skin cells. Now the scientists at the University of Minnesota have shown how to differentiate cord blood stem cells into lung cells.

By conducting the transplant with cord blood stem cells, the researchers at the University of Minnesota were able to treat the airway in lungs, damaged after an injury. This was a major breakthrough in the history of medical research and would be helpful to detect and understand different types of lung diseases. Also, the scientists would now have the ability to test different drugs to treat the diseases and measure their effects on patients.

The research showed that these cells were also helpful to treat lung diseases like cystic fibrosis in babies with their own cord blood stem cells. Apart from that, the new development in the field of stem cells also ensures better understanding in lung diseases and different stages of lung development.

A new research further showed the importance of cord blood stem cells in treating kidney related diseases. According to the findings, the mesenchymal stem cells, which are derived from full-term umbilical cord blood, have the ability to repair kidney tissues by developing bone and cartilage. A team of researchers in Italy conducted a research on a mice model to treat renal failure. This condition occurs when kidneys cannot remove urine and waste. The mice were treated with cord blood mesenchymal stem cells. After the transplant, the scientists had seen improvements in their kidney functions.

This ensures faster recovery from kidney problems, which are resulted from tissue damage. With this study, patients suffering from acute kidney related diseases, are hopeful to recover and relive a normal life. However more studies are required to come to a full-proof solution to treat kidney diseases in humans with mesenchymal stem cells.

Lupus is an inflammatory disease that damages our joints, skin, and kidneys. It may also be life-threatening once it affects the kidneys. New studies proved that stem cells are useful to treat severe lupus. Northwestern Hospital in Chicago conducted a study involving 50 patients with lupus. All of them went through stem cells transplants. After treatment, 25 patients got rid of the disease after five years while 84% of them survived from the condition.

Cord blood stem cells have the potential to treat many acute diseases, which did not have any proper treatments before. However, more and more researchers are needed to understand the diseases and how they spread and affect. Only then the scientists will be able to come to the ultimate solution.

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Umbilical cord blood plays a potent role in treating life-threatening ailments like sickle cell anaemia, lymphoma, leukaemia and the like. Today, over 25,000 patients round the globe have had cord blood transplants since their parents had a long-term vision that made them donate the child’s umbilical cord blood to a prominent cord blood bank.

In fact, most ace doctors and health experts suggest that cord blood must be preserved until there’s need of it. Medical science presently believes that cord blood can be preserved for an indefinite time, so that it can be of use for several generations. Stem cell transplants having 40 years as the average age, the longer the cord tissue and cord blood is stored, the maximum will be its use. And this where the accreditation process ties in!

Who Manages the Cord Blood Banking Facilities?

Simply put, the cord blood banks get regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is essential for all cord blood banks to register their name with the FDA and welcome the recurrent inspections and adhere to the regulations listed by this body. Furthermore, there are several other cord blood banks, comprising of the Core 23 BioBank, that willingly place themselves for other additional regulation under reputed accrediting bodies such as FACT and AABB.

Recently, AABB accreditation is considered to be the standard or key to cord blood transplant globally, where about 70% of the AABB accredited cord blood banks are located outside of U.S. As an authorized and authentic accrediting organization for cellular therapies and transfusion medicine round the word, the AABB gives a patient ear to the stories from various members of blood banks, hospitals and other bodies. Listening, it is said is a vital aspect of AABB’s accreditation process and programme.

As a group of AABB assessor approach an organization, basic checklists aren’t what they depend on! On the other hand, their key responsibility is to enquire, observe, gather data, build connections and provide a direct feedback on the organization’s accomplishments in catering to AABB’s technical and quality management par. Other than the formal reviewing process, there’s a peer-to-peer knowledge sharing process that takes place along with other discussions related to the best practices. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that the accreditation programme of AABB is accredited by International Society for Quality in Healthcare, a notable global organization that oversees and accredits accrediting bodies.

In fact, back in 2016 it a Dubai based AABB accredited cord blood bank successfully delivered a life-saving treatment of a 7-year-old boy, by providing stem cells that has been obtained from the umbilical cord blood that was saved 3 years before the birth of his sibling. This 7-year-old boy, who’s the elder brother, was diagnosed with major beta thalassemia, which is a blood disorder that might require daily blood transfusions and in a lifetime, can branch out into other various serious health hazards and ailments.

There are several reasons why AABB accreditation is considered the best practice for cord blood transplant. This accreditation programme makes use of a risk-solving approach that needs a meticulous evaluation by an AABB assessor to be on-site, examining the facility’s policies, processes and procedure to discover any possible marks of non-conformity. At the time of this accreditation process, the institutions gain from customized help rendered by a technical specialist at the AABB’s accreditation department. It is this specialist who in turn guides and assists the institutions and its team members on the accreditation process, giving answers to required queries and authenticating procedure followed and documents maintained. The verification process is strict, so that cord blood transplant taking place from the cord blood bank poses no health hazards and other discomforts.

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Do you know what the building blocks of our blood and immune system are? Stem cells. These stem cells have the potential to grow into different types of cells in order to repair cell damage in the associated tissues and organs. For this reason, stem cells are considered a major component in the modern regenerative medicine.

Stem cells are found in various parts of human body like bone marrow, blood, embryos, muscle, hair follicles, fetal tissue, baby teeth and fat. But not all stem cells can be used in clinical procedures. Umbilical cord blood is the richest source of stem cells that can be effectively used in therapeutic applications.

These stem cells are collected from the umbilical cord blood right after a baby is born. The cord blood is collected once the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The blood is then processed to derive stem cells and preserved, so it remains intact for years. The process is completely safe and poses no harm to the mother and the new born.

After the cord blood stem cells are preserved successfully, the parents of the baby can use the stem cells, if the baby needs any transplant anytime in the future. Apart from that, if any of the family members needs a transplant, the family can easily claim the stored stem cell for the procedure.

Why Storing Cord Blood Should Be Considered?

Cord blood stem cells can treat more than 80 diseases and disorders. Once preserved, you can claim the stem cells for the treatment of any family members. Your elder child can also be treated with the stem cells of your younger child.

Moreover, stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood are immature. Like new born cells, they don’t know how to attack any foreign body. For this reason, using umbilical cord blood is always a safer option.

With umbilical cord blood, you don’t need to wait or look for a suitable matching donor. On the contrary, with bone marrow or peripheral blood, you need to wait for an unrelated matching donor. The reason being, cord blood stem cells are less likely to reject the transplant.

What Diseases and Disorders Can Be Treated With Umbilical Cord Blood?

Latest studies have shown that conditions like autism and cerebral palsy can be treated with cord blood stem cells. A 2017 study demonstrated that children with autism showed significant improvements in the first six months of the procedure. So, it’s proved that the symptoms of both these disorders can be treated with stem cells.

Studies showed that patients with cancer shows better results if they are treated with their own cord blood stem cells. Some study also show that umbilical cord blood stem cells work wonderfully on cancers that are not genetically derived.

Apart from cancer, there are other conditions like heart failure, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, stroke, diabetes that can be treated with umbilical cord blood. While the above-mentioned treatments are concerned, bone marrow is still the first choice for doctors and patients. The main reason is, in most of the cases umbilical cord blood is not preserved.

There have been hundreds of clinical trials and many have shown successful results. If you store your baby’s cord blood, you would be able to use them if situation demands.

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Stem cells have been the reason for so many successful clinical trials for decades. It has not only been proven effective for more than 80 diseases and disorders, but it has also been responsible for various miraculous stories. Lucy Hinchion has such an inspiring story. She is the youngest child in medical history, who has received her own umbilical cord blood to stop or delay the occurrence of Type 1 diabetes. And she was just 20 months old, when the procedure was conducted on her.

How Does Type 1 Diabetes Occur in Children?

The occurrence of Type 1 diabetes begins with autoantibodies. These are proteins that are made by the immune system of our body. If the protein is present in anyone blood, it suggests that the beta cells in the pancreas that help produce insulin, are affected. The entire process might lead to an autoimmune attack. Some of these autoantibodies can be traced during the blood months while some are found years before the diabetes occurs.

Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells but at the same time it’s the most difficult to collect. It can only be collected after child birth from the umbilical cord of the new born. For this reason, parents need to contact a private cord blood bank to store the umbilical cord blood immediately after birth. Even a one day’s delay cannot be considered.

The procedure is entire safe both for the mother and the child. Once the cord blood is collected, it needs to go through a clinical process to isolate the stem cells from the immune cells. These stem cells are unique in nature. They have the potential to repair and replace damaged tissues and organs. And once stored, these stem cells can be utilized in any transplant of any family member.

Lucy’s mother, Sonya Hinchion also hoped that once they store Lucy’s umbilical cord blood, they would be able to safe Lucy’s elder sister, Ava’s life, who was suffering from Type 1 diabetes since four years of age. However, little did she know that Lucy would require those stem cells more than anyone else. After testing, Sonya found out that Lucy was positive for two antibodies and that posed her at high risk of developing the condition more than anyone. Sonya recalled, “After testing positive for two antibodies herself, Lucy became at high risk of developing the condition.”

Regarding the transplant, Sonya confirmed that it was a pretty simple and straightforward procedure. She said, “You’re putting all your eggs in one basket but without doing this trial and without putting yourself out there, we’re never going to learn. The other risk is, she develops diabetes and you’ll kick yourself for not trying.” Professor Maria Craig, the head of the CORD study, follows Lucy every 3 to 6 months and would keep up the follow up session for the next 3 years.

Over 100 Australian children, who have a history of Type 1 diabetes in their family, are being screened by the Cord Reinfusion in Diabetes (CORD) study currently. According to a report, “More than 100 Australian children with a family history of Type 1 diabetes are currently being screened in the Cord Reinfusion in Diabetes (CORD) study, conducted through the hospital’s Kids Research Institute and funded by cord blood bank Cell Care Australia.”

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The use of stem cells is nothing new to today’s regenerative treatment. Physicians and scientists have been making use of these stem cells in treating various diseases and disorders for decades. But there are still some arguments present on the effectiveness of stem cells and the risks associated. Now you must be thinking what risk factors could be there. Well, the major risk is getting the immune system affected after the transplant. But Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) scientists have created an antibody to make the stem cell procedures safer than ever.

The research involved human pluripotent stem cells that have the great potential to differentiate in any kind of cell in order to repair the damaged organ tissues. The whole experiment was done in a petri dish. The first ever human embryonic stem cells were differentiated in 1998 and since then the stem cells have been used in different therapies. However, the A*STAR study in 2017 involved treating macular degeneration. The transplant was done on a Japanese man who received a retina transplant involving reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells.

A great risk associated with stem cells is tumors. When stem cells are differentiated into other cell types, they go through an imperfect procedure. As a result, these cells can form harmful by-products, such as tumors. This mainly occurs due to the stem cells that cannot differentiate. Andre Choo, the representative from the A*STAR Bioprocessing Technology Institute, explained, “If stem cells become a cell therapy product there will be the question of safety.” The team at the A*STAR is working on the study to create antibodies that would work on stem cells transplant successfully. With the help of the antibodies, the process will make sure to remove all the stem cells that are unable to differentiate.

Before the 2017 experiment, the scientists at the A*STAR tried to create antibodies as well. The process involved a whole-cell immunization method to develop different antibodies by injecting various embryonic stem cells. The whole experiment was done on a mice model. After injecting, the scientists isolated the antibodies in order to test their potential to detect and destroy the pluripotent stem cells. They have found one antibody, called A1 that killed the pluripotent stem cells without harming any other cells.

The finding led the team focus on what made the antibody destroy the pluripotent stem cells within minutes. They discovered that the antibody triggers only the cells that have sugar molecules on the surface. The embryonic stem cells contain sugar molecules on the surface. Choo said, “That was quite exciting because it now gives us a view of the mechanism that is responsible for the cell-killing effect.” Once the team understood the mechanism within the stem cells and how the antibody would work in them, it had become easier for the scientists to combine antibody in different stem cell transplants, just to reduce the risks associated with it.

Choo said, “We hope that in the near future regenerative medicine will have a place in the clinic.”

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Many athletes take painkillers regularly after intense workout sessions. The reason being, any muscle injury, inflammation, soreness, stiffness and aches can be handled with these medicines. But a new study suggests that these anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs often harm the muscles rather than doing any good. A Stanford Medicine study supports this view and proposes a new study, based on the inflammatory component to treat muscle degeneration with muscle stem cells.

The stem cells in muscles are scattered across the skeletal muscle tissue. They remain inactive until they are divided by stimulation. When our muscles go through an injury or damage, an inflammatory component activates these muscle stem cells, so they start regenerating the tissue.

The team at Stanford suggests that a molecule, Prostaglandin E2 or PGE2, gets released when the muscle sends the inflammatory signal. This component stimulates the repairing process by aiming at the EP4 receptor, located on the surface of muscle stem cells. The muscle stem cells division is caused by the interaction between PGE2 and EP4, which leads to muscle tissue regeneration.

Dr. Helen Blau, the senior author of the study, said, “Traditionally, inflammation has been considered a natural, but sometimes harmful, response to injury. But we wondered whether there might be a component in the pro-inflammatory signaling cascade that also stimulated muscle repair. We found that a single exposure to prostaglandin E2 has a profound effect on the proliferation of muscle stem cells in living animals. We postulated that we could enhance muscle regeneration by simply augmenting this natural physiological process in existing stem cells already located along the muscle fiber.”

They have conducted a study on a mice model and it reveals that the PGE2 is increased by injuries and that in turn increases the expression of the EP4 receptor. This incident leads the team to the idea of treating the mice with PGE2 pulse, so they can stimulate the muscle stem cells to repair the damage.

Dr. Adelaida Palla, the co-first author explained, “When we gave mice a single shot of PGE2 directly to the muscle, it robustly affected muscle regeneration and even increased strength. Conversely, if we inhibited the ability of the muscle stem cells to respond to naturally produced PGE2 by blocking the expression of EP4 or by giving them a single dose of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug to suppress PGE2 production, the acquisition of strength was impeded.”

The research clearly shows that painkillers can make the situation worse. Additionally, it also suggests that the molecule; PGE2 can be the natural element to enhance muscle regeneration. Dr. Blau is hopeful that future studies will show more encouraging results with PGE2.  “Our goal has always been to find regulators of human muscle stem cells that can be useful in regenerative medicine. It might be possible to repurpose this already FDA-approved drug for use in muscle. This could be a novel way to target existing stem cells in their native environment to help people with muscle injury or trauma, or even to combat natural aging,” added Dr. Blau.

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Cord blood transplant is not a new technique in the history of personalized medicine. Since 1988, it has been around and has been treating many critical diseases and disorders. Many scientists and doctors are of the opinion that cord blood makes a better alternative to bone marrow for patients, who require a stem cell transplant. Even though bone marrow is still a more popular choice for transplants, some medical incidents suggest that the scenario is gradually changing. You might also be wondering which one would be better option for you and why.  Let’s find out one by one.

What are Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Transplant and How are They Different

Both cord blood and bone marrow transplants are conducted in order to replace the affected and unhealthy cells with new and healthy cells. Umbilical cord blood is the source of cord blood stem cells while bone marrow is the source of bone marrow stem cells. Cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord after a baby is born. After collecting, the blood is processed to get stem cells and then it can be preserved for years. These stem cells can be used to treat many diseases within the close family of the child.

Bone marrow stem cells, on the other hand, are collected from a matching donor. The marrow is a spongy element inside our bones. The marrow is generally extracted from skull, ribs, hips, breastbone or spine. Stem cells are extracted from the marrow after filtration. It can then be injected into the affected area of the patient immediately or can also be preserved for later use.

Now let’s see which one is ideal, considering different situations.

In Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), cord blood stem cells are preferred, where an organ transplant is involved. As cord blood is older than bone marrow, there is a relatively lower chance of getting an immune system attack by the new cells.

In case of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) matching, cord blood is considered a better option than bone marrow. HLA is the immune system marker that is used to identify foreign cells. Since cord blood stem cells are classified as the purer cells, there is no requirement for HLA matching altogether. One major problem with bone marrow transplant is, patients need to wait for the right donor. On the other hand, with cord blood this is not the case.

When it comes to rich source of stem cells, doctors prefer cord blood stem cells. The reason being, a greater number of stem cells are found in umbilical cord compared to bone marrow. Also, cord blood stem cells have more regenerative potential than bone marrow stem cells, as the former are younger in nature.

Cord blood transplants are considered a better option for patients, who are below 30 years and weigh less than 60kg. Cord blood transplants are ideal for patients with kidney, heart, liver or lung problems, where bone marrow transplant is not at all recommended.

However, no matter what you feel about both the procedures, make sure you consult your doctor before ending up with an option, because your doctor knows better than anyone else. If you have any query regarding cord blood and bone marrow transplant, you can write to us as well.

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You might have noticed two unlinked things here in the title of the article. First, EVATAR. You must be thinking if it’s the sequel of AVATAR. But wait. It’s not. Now coming to the second one: A mini female reproductive system on a 3D chip. If you are assuming that it’s a plot of a science fiction, you would be wrong again.

It’s all about a new age technology that can generate artificial organs on 3D chips. EVATAR is a functioning mini female reproductive system on a 3D microfluidic chip. The model has all the essential elements of a female reproductive system including menstrual cycle. Yes, you read it right. The 3D chip is made of small boxes. And each box performs an equal important role in recreating a female reproductive system effectively. These boxes form fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, vagina, and uterus, just like an adult woman’s reproductive system.

Scientists have used human stem cells to create the tissues of EVATAR, except for the ovaries, where stem cells from mouse were used. All the mini organs are linked with each other by mini tubes and pumps. Pumps play a significant role in stimulating blood flow and eventually making the reproductive system complete. The scientists have also added certain hormones in the model in order to stimulate the ovaries to create the estrogen and progesterone hormones. The idea is to release an egg.

Now you must be thinking what these scientists were thinking when they ideated such a tool! Actually, they planned to use this model as a personalized device to understand critical feminine diseases, associated with the reproductive system. They also wanted to determine the effectiveness of clinically available drugs to treat these diseases. Apart from that, with EVATAR they would also be able to find out why a certain drug acts differently on different people.

Many scientists have previously pointed out that lesser accessibility to human organs is one of the main reasons that we have limited scope to treat a critical disease. And this is true for many diseases and disorders. Teresa Woodruff, the lead author on the study at Northwestern University explained, “If I had your stem cells and created a heart, liver, lung and an ovary, I could test 10 different drugs at 10 different doses on you and say, ‘Here’s the drug that will help your Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s or diabetes. It’s the ultimate personalized medicine, a model of your body for testing drugs.”

EVATAR is a part of a larger project conducted by the National Institutes of Health. The aim is to develop a “body-on-a-chip” model. The objective behind creating EVATAR is to build personalized models of female reproductive system that will help researchers understand conditions like infertility, ovarian cancer, fibroids, endometriosis etc. The team is now working on recreating a male reproductive system on a 3D chip. And they would call it ADATAR, which is also a part of the National Institutes of Health project. The idea is to study both these models and figure out differences in drug metabolism between women and men.

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Meet Alysson Muotri, an autism researcher and a professor at UC San Diego. His research mostly revolves around autism and how stem cell therapy impacts the brain development. His study is based on pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), collected from people with autism. The researchers in his team are using the stem cells to model the condition in a lab dish. His team is trying to point out the affected cells and at the same time, invent a potential drug to cure the disorder.

When asked about his research about autism, Dr. Muotri expressed his frustration about no available models to understand the disorder at the first place. His team is involved in making a mini brain, because he thinks less accessibility to the human brain is the main reason that there is no proper tool or model to treat autism.

He said, “As a neuroscientist studying autism, I was frustrated with the lack of a good experimental model to understand autism. All the previous models (animal, postmortem brain tissues, etc.) have serious experimental limitations. The inaccessibility of the human brain has blocked the progress of research on ASD for a long time. Cellular reprogramming allows us to transform easy-access cell types (such as skin, blood, dental pulp, etc.) into brain cells or even “mini-brains” in the lab.”

He also briefed about how this process works. As they will be able to capture the genome of the affected person, it will be easy for them to track early phases of his/her neurodevelopment. He elaborately explained the process, as he said, “This is crucial to study neurodevelopment disorders, such as ASD, because of the strong genetic factor underlying the pathology [the cause of a disease]. By comparing “mini-brains” between an ASD and neurotypical [non-ASD] groups, we can find anatomical and functional differences that might explain the clinical symptoms.”
While talking about his model, he mentioned that his team mainly uses genome editing techniques and reprogramming stem cells. The reprogramming stem cells are used to create organoids or mini brains. And the genome editing techniques help in generating 3D organoid models. These organoids grow into the mature brains in the lab. The process is quite similar to that of fetal brain, so the researchers can track the structure and development over time.

About this new model, he said, “This new model brings something novel to the table: the ability to experimentally test specific hypotheses in a human background. For example, we can ask if a specific genetic variant is causal for an autistic individual. Thus, we can edit the genome of that autistic individual, fixing target mutations in these mini-brains and check if now the fixed mini-brains will develop any abnormalities seen in ASD.”

He is, currently, running a clinical trial involving IGF-1, or insulin growth factor-1. He is very hopeful that a drug will soon be discovered to treat autism. He said, “I am a big enthusiastic fan of personalized treatments for ASD. While we continue to search for a treatment that could help a large fraction of ASD people, we also recognized that some cases might be easier than others depending on their genetic profile.”

With that, he assures that his team is also working on a tool to diagnosis autism. This would certainly help parents and doctors to initiate treatments and therapies at an early stage, even before the symptoms start to appear.

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Are you going to be a new parent? Have you thought about cord blood banking?

Cord blood banking is a process to store and preserve your newborn’s umbilical cord blood right after the birth. The cord blood, in turn, is processed to get stem cells that have the ability to save your baby and your family from a number of diseases and conditions. For this reason, cord blood banking is now very common among by new parents. Even doctors, these days, are recommending cord bloods banking to utilize the infant stem cells to their utmost potential. But when it comes to cord blood banking, there are a number of notions you will hear as an expectant parent. Let’s see what doctors have actually recommended and what you should know about the process:

Critical for life threatening diseases and conditions

Doctors recommend cord blood banking because it can save you and your family from a number of critical diseases including cancer. Apart from that it can be used to treat the symptoms of various conditions including cerebral palsy and autism. In all these cases, transplants are dependent on suitable and unrelated matching donor. But cord blood banking ensures a closer match, as it’s taken from a family member. So, once you preserve a cord blood unit, it can offer you a lifetime of security.
Dr. Tiffany Werbin-Silver, MD said, “One of the things I bring up at the 20 Week mark is cord blood banking. Cord blood is the blood flowing through the placenta to the baby, and once delivery occurs, you capture it at that moment, and you have it for a potential lifetime, not only for the baby who is born, who serves as its own perfect match, but for family members.”

Cord blood may have other uses you don’t know

There are a number of researches going on involving cord blood stem cells and even doctors don’t know about its full potential. A few years back, people did not know that stem cells had the ability to treat some of the symptoms of autism. Now several trails are under to find out effectiveness of stem cell therapy in such nervous system disorders.
Dr. Preete Bhanot, MD said, “Right now clinical trials are going on to use these cells for children with autism, with hearing loss. In five years, we may have so many more things that we can use these cells for. It is a great investment. You have to do it. I can’t stress that enough.”

What should the expectant parents know

Doctors recommend that new parents should be aware of the high potential of cord blood banking from the first day. They also should know about the diseases and conditions that stem cell therapy can treat. All the information helps them make an informed decision for their baby.

Dr. Shetal Mansuria, MD said, “What I explain to patients is that the uses are incredible. Treatments of things like lymphomas, leukemias. I know that it can save lives and I have seen it save a life, and I always tell patients that. In that case, it made the difference for this child. The uses are incredible. I think everybody should bank.”

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Ageing is a part and parcel of life, but as our body ages, our brains age too. Just like an ageing body can be riddled with diseases and illnesses like arthritis, cataracts, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, an ageing brain too can be afflicted with sickness. The age-associated diseases that affect the brain are often clustered under the umbrella term of ‘neurodegeneration’. Diseases like Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are some of the better-known disorders that fall under this terminology.

Let us first understand what the term ‘neurodegeneration’ actually encompasses.  The Oxford Dictionary defines neurodegeneration as the “Degeneration of the nervous system, especially of neurones in the brain”. According to the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND), the nervous system of the human body comprises of neurones. In case they suffer damage, they do not possess the ability to repair, replace or reproduce themselves. This inability results in neurodegenerative diseases.

Previously, neurodegenerative diseases were believed to be incurable. However, with the gigantic steps towards advancement that medical science has taken in the recent years, scientists have been able to devise procedures that help in assisting individuals suffering from neurodegenerative disease. Stem cell therapy is among these advanced procedures that have recently shown positive results.

Stem cells are mother or master cells that have the ability to differentiate into other types of specialized cells through the process of mitosis. They can repair internal tissue damage by developing into a cell with a specialized function like a blood cell or brain cell.  They also possess the ability to renew themselves.

Utilizing stem cells to treat medical disorders and diseases is known as stem cell therapy. Transplantation of stem cells is the most common procedure used in stem cell therapy. In cases of brain degeneration, stem cells are transplanted into the patient. These stem cells then become progenitor cells that work within the brain to maintain the neurone functions. Research has been conducted on animal models for diseases like Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis, which have provided optimistic outcomes.

In a symposium organized by EuroStemCell, Magdalena Götz, Ph.D., Helmholtz Zentrum München, spoke about the radial glial cells which are present in the neural stem cells and described them as “they look like glia, they smell like glia but they are actually the neural stem cells.” She further explained the development of brain cells and the possibility of guiding neural stem cells to locate and repair the injury site inside the brain, while also regenerating neurones.

Stem cell research is the future of neurology. With several clinical studies being conducted year after year, the use of stem cell therapy in treating neurological disorders is constantly expanding. In India, the guidelines established by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting clinical studies have been revolutionized leading to extensive research being done in the field of stem cell therapy.

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For any parent, their most precious creation is their child. All the money one makes, all the possessions one acquires, all the houses one can afford to purchase…everything pales in comparison to the sight of one’s lovely child.

As an expectant parent, you have probably done everything you could to welcome your baby into your world. The nursery is decorated, there are scores of soft toys and clothes in his wardrobe, and you’ve found the most perfect bassinet for your baby. Now all that remains is the actual birth so you can take your precious bundle of joy home.

But wait – did you arrange for your baby’s cord blood to be banked?

Why Save Cord Blood?

Banking your baby’s cord blood is the single most important task you can undertake for your child’s future happiness. This is because your baby’s cord blood is a valuable repository of precious stem cells that have proven their mettle in the treatment of 80 serious diseases. These diseases have not been cured by other conventional methods thus far, and they include several forms of cancer and other auto-immune deficiency disorders. Cord blood contains Haematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) – these HSCs have the ability to regenerate into different blood cells such as White Blood Cells (WBCs), Red Blood Cells (RBCs) and platelets. Hence, they automatically become the primary resource for treating such acute blood disorders like leukaemia, or immune deficiencies.

In the unfortunate event that your child develops a serious disease at a later stage in life, his banked cord blood can actually save his life. Cord blood storage is done under special conditions in dedicated cord blood banks and the blood unit may be retained for a period of 21 years for a yearly payment. Parents can withdraw the blood unit at any time during this period for use in their child’s treatment on the permission of their doctor.

The biggest gift you can bestow on your child is a long life free of disease. To this end, cord blood storage helps maximise his chances of dodging future health uncertainty – cord blood cells have been known to be efficacious in the treatment of such diseases as Sickle Cell Disease, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and even ALL.

Besides, banked cord blood may also be used in treating your child’s sibling or a close relative with a matching blood type. It need not be used for your child alone. However, it is an excellent back-up resource that can assuage your fears about your child’s future, especially if there is a history of genetically-acquired ailments in the family.

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This is the story of a 16 year old girl from Kozhikode, Kerala, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). She was being treated at an advanced stage of the disease at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi. Leukaemia is a type of cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow, which produces our blood cells.

What is Acute Myeloid Leukaemia?

According to The Leukaemia Foundation of Australia[1], AML is a type of leukemia that results in the bone marrow producing abnormal white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. White blood cells are what help our body fight disease and infection. However, in the case of AML, these cells crowd the marrow in such a way as to obstruct the production of normal red blood cells and platelet.

The 16 year old teenager suffering from AML had a relapse and the probability of her survival was very small. Dr. Neeraj Sidharthan, Head of the Stem Cells Transplant Unit at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, told The Times of India[2], as published in a May 2015 article, how they had desperately searched both the National Registry of Stem Cell samples, DATRI and the international Germany-based registry, DKMS, for a potential matching donor. There are over 70,000 stem cell samples in DATRI and none of them matched the patient.

The Treatment

The doctors had then suggested allogenic Stem Cells transplant, or the transfer of Stem Cells from a healthy person to save the girl. Usually, the donor cells come from either of the parents or a sibling, but in the present case, this could not happen. “This is perhaps one of the rarest transnational stem cell donation cases in the country,” remarked Dr. Sidharthan. Finally, the right sample was found from a 59 year old man from Germany, who consented to the donation.

The patient was promptly admitted to the Bone Marrow Transplant unit of the hospital for pre-procedure tests and other required treatments before the transfusion. As a precaution and because the donor was a person from a different continent and of the opposite gender, the girl was given chemotherapy drugs to prevent side effects.

The Stem Cells from the donor were airlifted from Dusseldorf and sent on to Cologne and then to Kochi via Abu Dhabi. The transfer of cells was professionally completed by a team of doctors under the charge of Dr. Sidharthan.

Following the successful Stem Cells transplant, there have been no reported side effects and the 16 year old visits the doctor regularly for checkups. Her platelet count is now normal.

This story of hope and survival is just one among many that Stem Cell Therapy has made possible.

[1] http://www.leukaemia.org.au/blood-cancers/leukaemias/acute-myeloid-leukaemia-aml

[2] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Germans-stem-cells-give-Kerala-girl-new-lease-of-life/articleshow/47488132.cms

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Is stem cell therapy likely to cure Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is one of the deadliest neurological disorders known to afflict mankind. It is caused after the neurons in the brain get damaged or impaired, thus affecting their production of the essential chemical dopamine. Dopamine is essential for the smooth functioning of the body’s muscles. When dopamine is not produced, the muscles begin to lose their coordination and can suffer from incessant tremors. In such conditions, considering adolescent mental health services may help people treat some mental issues at an early stage. Though it cannot treat Parkinson’s disease but there is a chance of understanding the mental health condition in advance.

The symptoms of PD are varied, though the common ones are shaking limbs and head, mild but visible tremors, rigidity in joints and movement, unmoving facial expressions and a change in walk or gait.

PD is on the rise in India – doctors believe that roughly one lakh people per year develop the disease, with most of them being over the age of 50 years.[2] A lack of awareness about the disease and what causes it, apart from its symptoms, makes the treatment of the disease more difficult, according to neurologists.

Neurologists all over the world are involved in research or studying the effects of dopamine loss from the brain and its effects on the human body. It now turns out that dopamine may be derived from stem cells. Thus, if dopamine is introduced into a person afflicted with PD, there may be a genuine chance at a cure from the disease.

The idea driving the potential cure rests on the premise that if around 1,00,000 dopamine cells are introduced into the brain’s nigral area (where the neurons producing dopamine are created), the PD patient might benefit from the infusion. However, trials in the US and UK have not been successful thus far. Stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s is being tried on laboratory rats in the UK, but the results are inconclusive since the trial takes place only over a few months.

Stem cell therapy seems to be the dominant choice in finding a treatment for PD since they can change into other cells within the body. However, stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s is still in the experimental stages and is not being advocated anywhere in the world. In India, deep brain stimulation treatment for PD is approved by the FDA and is a widely used approach.

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For long now, doctors and scientists studying autism and autism spectrum disorders have debated the merits of using stem cells to cure the brain disorder. There have also been attempts in the West to study the effects of one’s own stem cells banked at birth in the generation of viable neurons in the brain.

For instance, an FDA-approved study was conducted in California, USA in 2012, where a group of autistic children (whose disorder was not hereditary or the result of blunt trauma) were infused with their own cord blood cells. The end goal was to map the specific development of these children in correcting deficits of speech, behaviour and language. According to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 88 children in the US are autistic. However, the results of the study were said to be inconclusive.

Stem cell therapy for autism is, on paper, a feasible treatment approach for a disorder that has no cure till date. Doctors opine that stem cells may not just help fire neural activity in the brain – thus helping the child improve its condition – but also help generate working neural connection. Stem cells are also being used to help find the underlying causes of the disorder. Thus far, science has been able to conclude that genetics and immunological factors may play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorders in children. The rationale for using stem cell therapy for autism is that stem cells derived from cord blood may help in eliminating immune problems in autistic children.

An extremely promising development in understanding what causes certain autism spectrum disorders is the development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from autistic persons. It transpires that iPSCs are capable of transforming from ordinary cells into neurons. The major breakthrough in this finding is that these iPSCs can be cultured in a laboratory. These iPSCs may hold the key to specific alterations that take place in the brain of a foetus, which later develop into autism spectrum disorders after age 2.

Researchers at University of California, San Diego are now examining a new frontier in stem cell therapy for autism: whether human neural connections can be built to mimic some of the interactions taking place in the human brain; the rationale driving this research stems from advances in human tissue engineering.

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Cord blood stem cells were first used in a transplant in 1988 and have since been used to treat more than 80 diseases. You can know more about the diseases it can be used to treat in the list provided by ‘Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood’[1]. To-be parents often make a host of preparations in order to keep their child safe such as emptying electric sockets, child-proofing cabinets and much more. Umbilical cord cell storage is also a safety net or insurance that can help to protect your child’s life in future.

Benefits of Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking

Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells. Stem cells have the potential to reproduce themselves and also to turn into any other type of cells. The stem cells in umbilical cord blood are Haematopoietic stem cells that can build and replenish the body’s blood and immune system. These cells can differentiate into blood vessels, immune-system cells, bone cartilage, muscle cells, blood cells and nerve cells.

Cord Blood Stem Cells vs. Bone Marrow Stem Cells

Umbilical cord stem cell storage is a simple non-invasive process and is completely harmless to the mother or the baby. On the other hand, extracting stem cells from the bone marrow is an invasive procedure and also requires general anaesthesia which comes with its own set of inherent risks. Matching stem cells are necessary for a transplant procedure so as to increase the chances of the body accepting the transplant. Umbilical cord blood cells will be a lifetime match for your child and a 25% to 50% partial match to a sibling. These cord blood cells can also be used to treat other family members as genetically matching stems cells result in higher chances of successful transplants with fewer complications.

Umbilical cord blood cells have a high rate of engraftment or in other words have a high rate of replication of transplanted cells in the host. These cells also have a low rate of graft versus host diseases i.e. the transplanted cells attacking the host body. These cells are also free of latent viruses which is why they are also termed as “privileged” when compared to bone marrow cells.

The Advantages of Umbilical Cord Cell Storage

Cord blood cells are readily used to replenish the immune system after chemotherapy or radiation. Chemotherapy or radiation not only destroys the bad cells but also destroys the good cells. Stem cell therapy helps to replicate the good cells or the disease-free cells in such patients. Apart from being used in treatment of cancers such leukaemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, cord blood cells are also being researched for the treatment of degenerative diseases.

If you are parents-to-be and have not decided upon umbilical cord cell storage, then it’s time you give it a thought to insure your baby’s future health.

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Is diabetes treatable with stem cell therapy? New clinical trials and treatments seem to indicate so.

India is poised to become the diabetes capital of the world[1]. There are several researches and clinical trials being conducted around the world to find a cure for diabetes. New developments in diabetes treatment and research indicate that a drug currently awaiting US FDA approval may well replace the traditional treatments to increase the level of insulin in the body.

In this context, researchers are closely monitoring the application of stem cells in the treatment of diabetes. The focus of this research is on the viability of stem cells being a source of insulin producing cells in the body. Ongoing research at the University of North Carolina is aimed to identify stem cells to sense the excess of glucose in the blood and secrete insulin in response[2]. As per this research, stem cells could be developed to become sensor cells in the human pancreas – to further help in the generation of beta cells. However, this end result has largely been tested on mice thus far.

Stem cell therapy for diabetes is now being probed in a new research at University of British Columbia, Canada. The study aims to find how mice with Type 2 diabetes were successfully treated with stem cell transplantation and diabetes inhibiting medication[3]. The research was started to find an alternative to traditional methods used to control diabetes: medication in tablet form and/or insulin injections. These, however, can often be counterproductive, causing metabolism and digestive problems, and also compromising the health of the body’s major organs.

Researchers found that stem cell transplantation from human embryonic stem cells and diabetes inhibiting medication in mice suffering from Type 2 diabetes showed weight loss and high glucose-response metabolism. It is being hoped that the findings will pave the way for treatment of Type 2 diabetes in humans. Stem cell therapy for diabetes treatment would have implications for patients, who could experience a better quality of life while living with diabetes.

Though human clinical trials involving stem cell therapy for diabetes are not yet in the offing, it is hoped that the results of such researches will one day help find a solution to a long-standing global disease. It will not just ease the treatment of diabetes, but may bring down costs associated with medical care, too.

[1] Diabetes statistics, India, WHO

[2]  ‘Turning Stem Cells into Insulin-Producing Cells’, http://www.diabetesresearch.org/stem-cells

[3] Whiteman, Honor, ‘Stem cell-based therapy for type 2 diabetes shows promise’, Medical News Today, March 21, 2015

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Worldwide, Alzheimer’s is found in at least one among 10 persons who are more than 80-years-old and one out of four persons who are above 90 years. In India, there are nearly 50 lakh dementia patients of which, roughly 70 to 80 percent have Alzheimer’s, says an article published in the The Hindu in November 2013. It is one of the many neurodegenerative diseases caused by death of nerve cells gradually over a period of time. Some of the others are Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis.

What is Alzheimer’s?

It is a neural disorder that affects the brain. Protein builds up in the brain to form “plaques” or “tangles” affecting the connection between nerve cells eventually resulting in death of these cells and loss of brain tissue. People with this disease have the shortage of neurotransmitters or chemicals that help to transmit signals across the brain. Shortage of neurotransmitters affects the proper functioning of the brain. It is one of the progressive neurodegenerative diseases. This implies that brain damage increases with passage of time and symptoms get worse. The primary risk factors are old age, family history and genetics.

Symptoms

The symptoms are generally mild to start with but gain prominence as the disease progresses. Although the symptoms are uniform across all patients, they may not be experienced the same way or in the same succession. Memory lapse is one the early signs of Alzheimer’s. Patients might have difficulty in recalling past memories as well learning new information.  Memory loss from Alzheimer starts to affect daily life as the condition worsens.  Memories from events that happened a long time ago remain unaffected in the early stage of the disease. Apart from memory lapse, patients might have or go on to develop problems with language, visuo-spatial skills i.e problems judging distance or seeing objects in three dimension, concentration, planning, organization, and orientation i.e being confused or losing track of day or date.

Treatment

Brain acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are given to patients in order to increase the levels of neurotransmitters. This treatment only delays or slows down the process of degeneration. There are no known cures to Alzheimer’s. Stem cells are increasingly being used to treat diseases such as cancer, diabetes and more.

Research is being extensively carried out for breakthrough in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases through stem cell therapy. As per an article published in The Telegraph in May 2015, neuroscientists in India have shown what they say is the first reversal of the behavioural symptoms associated with an Alzheimer’s disease-like illness in laboratory mice using cells extracted from human umbilical cord blood,. The promise of stem cell therapy which can help in the regeneration of neural cells shows potential for the future cure of the disease.

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Sickle cell disease is often thought of as a disease affecting people with dark skin, and a majority of patients – researchers estimate 60 to 80 percent – are African-American, but other races are also affected. People of Indian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic and Mediterranean heritage are also commonly affected, says an article published in the New York Times[1]. Sickle cell anaemia patients need comprehensive care throughout their lives. Ground breaking treatment through stem cells for genetic disorders could help treat Sickle Cell Anaemia.

What is Sickle Cell Anaemia?

It is a genetic disorder where the red blood cells carry a certain type of haemoglobin named “haemoglobin S” resulting in the cells to form shapes similar to a sickle. These cells have lesser oxygen carrying capacity as well as get stuck and break up while passing through small blood vessels. A person gets the disease only when he/she gets the sickle hemoglobin gene from both the parents. If one gets the gene from only one parent and a normal gene from the other, then you have ‘Sickle cell trait’.

Symptoms

Symptoms only start to appear at around 4 months of age. Painful episodes known as Crises are common in sickle cell anaemia patients. Crises are characterised by severe pain in lower back, legs, joints and chest which may go on from hours to days. Young children with sickle cell anaemia have paleness, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath and yellowing of eyes and skin due to jaundice. When small blood vessels get blocked by the abnormal cells, it may result in painful or prolonged erection, poor eyesight or blindness, problems with thinking and ulcers on lower legs. With age, the spleen stops working and it may result in a host of other infections such as bone infection.

Treatment

People with sickle cell anaemia might have to undergo regular treatments irrespective of the problem causing symptoms in order to minimize their future occurrences. Blood transfusions may be done at regular intervals in order to minimize the risk of a stroke due to small blood vessels getting clogged. Patients also take pain killers and antibiotics to combat the effects of the disease. Research has shown that treatment through stem cells for genetic disorders could cure sickle cell anaemia.  In a Case Study by the National Institute of Health,US (2004-2013)[2], thirty sickle cell anaemia patients aged 16 to 65 yrs first went through a toxic regime to kill their marrow and then stem cell transplant. Researchers found that 87% of the patients responded positively. One of the major concerns voiced against treatment through stem cell for genetic disorders like sickle cell anaemia is that patients often cannot find donor cells. Cord blood therapy helps to resolve this issue. Cord blood cells from an immediate family member can help treat the disease reducing the risk of rejection by the body.

[1]http://www.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-sickle-cell-know.html

[2]http://www.nih.gov/researchmatters/july2014/07142014sickle.htm

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Conservative estimates suggest that the incidence of spinal injuries in India would be around 20 per million with 2,500 fresh cases added every year, often as a result of road accidents, says an article published in The Hindu in August 2013[1]. Spinal cord injuries can cause incomplete or complete non-functioning of the spinal cord. Spinal cord acts as the mediator between the brain and body. The use of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury may repair the damage.

What is Spinal Cord Injury?

Spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column. When the vertebra is dislocated or injured, it may put pressure on the spine.  Physical trauma to the spine is considered to be the most common form of spinal cord injury. Injury to the spinal cord could be caused due to compression through a tumour, infection or inflammation.  Injuries can occur at any level of spinal cord. The segment of the cord injured and the severity of the injury will determine the body functions that are lost.

Symptoms

The symptoms depend on whether the spinal cord has been partially injured or completely injured.  In a partial injury, patients may have some functions below the level of injury while in complete injury, they have none. Injuries to the spine may result in loss of muscle function and sensation from below the point of injury, loss of control over bowels and bladder and loss of normal sexual function. Injuries near the cervix may cause difficulty in breathing.

Treatment

Injuries to the spine are not usually diagnosed immediately. Any injury like pelvic fractures, penetrating injuries in the area of spine should be considered an alert sign. A CT (Computerized Tomography) scan may be used to determine the depth of a spinal cord injury. Injuries where there is minimal or no damage to the nerve cell and is pressure induced may allow full recovery. A host of treatments are undertaken to control the body function anomalies resulting from a spine injury. There is no cure to injuries to the spine as of now. Research in the field of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury brings new hope. Neural stem cells offer the potential to replace injured nerve tissues. There are many clinical trials for the same as well. A paralysed man was able to walk again after a stem cell therapy for spinal injury by a team of UK researchers, says an article published in BBC News in October 2014[2]. Another patient in San Diego, US was successfully treated through a neural stem cell transplant according to a Press Release by Neuiralstem Inc. in October 2014. Therefore, the benefits of cord blood banking are only growing as medical science progresses, making it a wise choice for parents to invest in it.

[1]http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/few-steps-forward/article4978239.ece

[2]http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29645760

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As India completes 68 years of independence, we take a look at the current state of Indian stem cell banking.

India soon completes 68 years of independence, and the country has made notable strides in several fields. Prominent among these is the field of medicine and medical research. Indian medical expertise is considered to be among the best in the world, and the country is an important destination for medical tourism.

In the last five years, the awareness of such medical processes as stem cell banking has also risen. Hitherto an unknown option, stem cell banking is today slowly growing in both awareness and reach, with doctors playing a major role in getting expectant parents on board. When gynaecologists and obstetricians inform parents about the benefits of cord blood banking and how it is a safe way to safeguard their child’s future health, parents are generally likely to consider the option.

However, the awareness about stem cell banking and its vast plethora of benefits is still quite small.

The rising cases of thalassemia and several cancers, especially, are good reasons to invest in one’s child’s future wellbeing. This is unfortunate, especially given the rise in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, multiple myeloma, sickle cell anaemia and leukaemia in India, and which can be treated with stem cells. Currently, stem cells can treat as many as 80 serious diseases. “The clinical trials carried out by Dukes University and Sutter Institute for autologous stem cells derived from cord blood cells seem to suggest a treatment for autism. In India, 1 out of every 250 babies is diagnosed with autism. It is difficult to negate the concept of stem cell banking if such is the possibility [of treatment],” says noted obstetrician Dr Kiran Coelho[1].

Another area of work that India needs to consider is that of public cord blood banking. Since the concept of stem cell banking is taking root in the country only in the last few years, earlier parents did not have the opportunity to store their child’s cord blood. Public cord blood banking is a good source of finding matching stem cells for children and adults looking for stem cell transplantation.

As India gears up for its 68^th year of independence, it is time to lay greater emphasis on the benefits of stem cell banking and how it can be used to rid the country of several serious diseases.

[1] Dr Kiran Coelho, https://www.cordlife.com/news/pdf_cordlifeNews/india/12August2015.pdf

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Many parents today choose to bank their child’s stem cells immediately after delivery. This decision might help save your child’s life in the future.

Today, with people being increasingly afflicted by blood and immune system disorders, it is time to take a serious look at stem cell banking and how stem cells may change outcomes in disease prevention and treatment.

The world’s first stem cell bank facility opened in 1989 in Florida[1], and though initial awareness about the process was low, today, stem cell banking, transplant and technology is growing by leaps and bounds every year.

Stem cells are found in blood in the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of the baby. Since the umbilical cord is the direct connection between mother and baby during pregnancy, the blood present in it is rich in stem cells that can be harvested for future use. Stem cells are used to treat over 80 diseases, and they may be taken from donors in the immediate family or a suitable anonymous match. Stem blood is a rich repository of haematopoietic stem cells which are the primary agents responsible for regenerating the immune system.

Today, stem cell treatments are applicable for diseases of the blood and immune system, as well to treat specific cancers. In the US, skin stem cells have been used to grow skin grafts for burn patients since the 1970s, while trials are being conducted to study whether stem cells can be used to regenerate damaged tissues of the heart, bone, liver, cornea and pancreas.[2]

Why stem cell banking?

Banking stem cells provides a reliable backup solution for future health issues that your baby may face. Cord blood cells are viable for use even after years have elapsed after collection, and by their very nature, they are less likely to cause a rejection during transplants because they seldom attack foreign substances, the way stem cells from bone marrow may.[3]

The costs of stem cell banking

The total costs of collecting and storing the cord blood for a period of 21 years is as low as Rs 50,000, though premium cord blood banks are sweetening the deal for customers by offering flexible payment options. Apart from a one-time enrolment fee, customers can choose to pay a specific sum of money every month in the form of EMIs[4]. The EMI calculation is based on the payment plan the customer chooses.

[1] Cryocell International Stem Cell Bank statistics, 1989

[2] Barrandon, Yann, ‘What diseases and conditions can be treated with stem cells?’, http://www.eurostemcell.org/faq/what-diseases-and-conditions-can-be-treated-stem-cells

[3] ‘Cord blood banking: What is it, why consider it?’, http://www.babycenter.com/0_cord-blood-banking-what-it-is-why-consider-it_1362261.bc#articlesection3

[4] Cordlife India, https://www.cordlifeindia.com/price-and-enrolment

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The biggest gift you can bestow on your child is the chance of a long and healthy life – by preserving your baby’s stem cells.

The birth of your baby was a landmark event in your life. But rewind to the time that your child emerged from the womb. That was the moment when you gave your child the biggest treasure of all – the gift of his cord blood, perfectly preserved for his future.

“I did a lot of research on stem cell banking and spoke to my doctor about it,” says Maithili Rajguru (34), a mother of two. “We tried cord blood banking for my second child; I was unaware of the procedure during my first pregnancy five years prior. It was important to take this basic step to safeguard her future,” she says.

Stem cell preservation is catching on all over the country, even in the smaller towns, where over 20 people register for it with private cord blood banks every month[1]. The fact that it poses no danger to the mother and child is a big draw among patients, says Dr Jinal Thakkar, obstetrician. “Of all the questions I am asked about it, the leading one is: Will it hurt my baby? It is important to explain to parents about the entire process of cord blood collection and preservation,” she adds.

The process is a simple one: moments after the birth, the umbilical cord is cut and clamped. The cord blood is then collected in a special bag. Once the bag reaches the stem cell bank, the cells are isolated and the red blood corpuscles and plasma are removed from the blood unit. The cells are frozen and preserved for a period of 21 years. In the meantime, the baby’s cells are given to the parents whenever needed, but only with a doctor’s prescription and reference.

Rehan Mistry enrolled on stem cell banking two years ago. “Cancer runs in my wife’s family. Our doctor told us that stem cells cannot treat every cancer, but by the time my son grows up, science will have found an answer to every problem,” he explains.

Stem Cells for Research

Stem cell preservation techniques are being refined for research and clinical trials. The process presents unique challenges – the protocols for preserving Haematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC) do not hold true for preserving Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC)[2], for example. The biology of different stem cells is different, thus the preservation methods must be able to conserve that unique biology over a long period.

Several researchers are currently conducting trials on the utility of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) in understanding the origins of disease and also for formulating stem cell-based treatments. Meanwhile, bone marrow has been found to be a rich repository of MSC that is currently being studied for cardiac tissue and muscle repair, among other things.

[1] Kislaya, Kelly, ‘More stem cells preserved now’, The Times of India, October 27, 2013

[2] Hanna, Jacob and Hubel, Allison, ‘Preservation of stem cells’, Organogenesis Journal, July-September 2009

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How effective are stem cells in regenerating organs, tissues and cells? The prognosis is good, and the implications for patients are enormous.

Regenerative medicine is fast gaining popularity globally, where consistent research is being conducted into the field. Broadly, regenerative medicine is a field of research in molecular biology which studies engineering or renewing human cells, organs or tissues[1]. Regenerative medicine is applicable in the restoration of damaged organs and tissues, once usual medical intervention has been done and cannot be continued further.

This implies that regenerative medical techniques can help grow cells, tissues and organs in laboratory conditions, and ready them for transplant later. The basic building blocks for the procedure would be derived from the patient himself – this also solves the problem of transplant rejection. There is also no need to look for a transplant donor.

Stem cells and regenerative medicine

The clinical therapies in regenerative medicine may involve the use of stem cells. These could be injected via directed differentiation cell therapies, or via immunomodulation therapy, or even via tissue engineering. This last in vitro procedure is still in the trial stages.

The direct implication of regenerative medicine is that patients with irreversible tissue or organ damage may be able to heal themselves with a regenerated tissue or organ. In this context, pluripotent stem cells are being studied and used in clinical trials that involve treating renewing damaged muscles and skin in burn accident victims, and congestive heart disease.[2]

Pluripotent stem cells can help regenerate any of the cell types present in the human body, while embryonic stem cells are able to regenerate an organism. One of the stem cell treatments being researched in regenerative medicine involves extracting a few stem cells from the body and renewing them in a large batch. Once a sufficiently large quantity of stem cells has been regenerated, it is injected into the patient. Doctors hope this method will help the in vitro regeneration process much faster.[3]

Bone marrow is a rich source of adult stem cells. It contains the cells that give rise to blood and even bone, fat and cartilage. Regenerative medicine doctors are investigating the full range of bone marrow use in re-growing cells, organs and tissues.

[1] ‘Regenerative medicine’, Wikipedia

[2] Gorman, Christine, ‘What’s Next for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine?’, Scientific American magazine, March 2013

[3] Dr Mahendra Rao, Director, Centre for Regenerative Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, in an interview to Scientific American magazine, March 2013

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With the growing interest in the benefits of cord blood and stem cell in treating diseases, India is poised to be a major market for stem cell research in the years to come.

With the growing interest in stem cell technology and its implications in saving lives, India is set to become a solid market for stem cell research.

Parents who are advised by their doctors to enrol for cord blood banking, scientists and doctors working in regenerative medicine, the increasing numbers of people suffering from blood-related and autoimmune disorders…all of these are throwing the spotlight on stem cell research like never before. In the last decade, the stem cell research market has globally grown, while the investment in the sector in India was to the tune of $540 million in the year 2010[1].

In his report ‘Stem Cell Entrepreneurship – Trends and Advances, Part II”, Dr Winston Pareira writes, “From just a few Institutes in India two years back, today over 30 institutions are involved in stem cell research with the Indian government investing around $8 million in just the last two years. What is the ultimate goal of Stem Cell research? Today, the ultimate aim of scientists is to be able to build tissues or organs that can replace injured or diseased tissues in the human body. This concept which gives rise to the generation of mature tissues has made adult stem cells the focus of intense research, designed to treat a variety of human diseases.

“In the clinical scenario, stem cells are expected to be transplanted into the damaged area and then grow to a new, healthy tissue. Considering the immense interest worldwide, it comes as no surprise that the global market for stem cell therapy is around $20 billion in 2010, as per a Frost & Sullivan study.”

The growth of stem cell research in India was prompted also by the interest of doctors associated with various disciplines such as cardiology, diabetology, spinal cord repair and ophthalmology, and who had several patients who had the potential to show improvement provided they received the right kind of stem cells to aid restorative repair and growth.

Today, immense research is being conducted to understand the types and functions of each kind of stem cells, and their allied application in medicine. Stem cell research conducted in India is making the process of understanding cord blood and stem cell utility in finding cures much easier, faster and affordable. Writes Sanjay Mittal in the report ‘Stem Cell Research: The India Perspective’, “Given India’s science, tax regimes, regulation, supporting industries and financial markets are at a different stage of evolution to that of the developed economies, India faces unique challenges in the fluid arena of stem cell globalisation.” In the same report, Mittal adds that “emerging economies like India are introducing policies designed to improve their global competitive position in this field.”

Most stem cell research in India is driven by and encouraged by private cord blood banks, which have the lion’s share of the market in the country.[2]

[1] Pareira, Winston (Ph.D), ‘Stem Cell entrepreneurship – Trends and advances, Part II’, 2010

[2] ‘Stem cell research market in India, 2014’, www.researchmoz.us

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As leukaemia strikes patients in India, doctors are considering cord blood transplants as a viable option to save patients.

Leukaemia is a disease in which the normal process of blood cell production changes. The bone marrow (the soft tissue inside bones) is a site where blood cells are made; all blood cells begin as stem cells in the marrow[1]. However, when a person develops leukaemia, the bone marrow starts producing too many immature/abnormal cells called lymphoblasts, which crowd out other healthy blood cells in the marrow, blood stream and the lymphatic system.

The lymphoblasts can travel to the rest of the body via the blood. While some leukaemias manifest themselves through visible signs that doctors can see, others develop slowly with symptoms that the patient will only be able to describe as ‘pain’ or ‘discomfort’.

The symptoms of leukaemia

The symptoms of leukaemia are many and diverse. Broadly, they have been identified as: fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of weight, recurring fever, anaemia, pale skin, dizziness, bleeding (in nose, gums, bloody vaginal discharge or bleeding between menstrual periods), cold sores and red sores on the skin, respiratory infections, boils around the anus, vomiting, headache, bone or joint pain, enlarged lymph nodes in neck, groin, underarms, abdominal discomfort or pain, bloated feeling in abdomen, cloudy or blurry vision, swollen testicles, etc. There may be other extremely painful symptoms of leukaemia like Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis (with sores on the extremities) and Sweet’s Syndrome (which is accompanied by high fever and painful boils on the body).[2]

Treating ALL and APL with cord blood

Traditionally, bone marrow transplants have been the preferred treatment option for acute leukaemia, but the process is fraught with delays and complications. The chances of the procedure being successful are high when the eligible recipient gets a marrow donor who matches for six HLAs (Human Leukocyte Antigens) – these antigens help the immune system recognise its own cells, hence the chances or rejection are lower.[3]

Many types of leukaemia remain untreatable. However, the Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia (APL), which was first discovered in France in the 1950s, is now in the ambit of treatable leukaemia.[4] It has been found that adults with APL who need bone marrow transplants but do not have matching donors for important HLAs can undergo stem cell transplants using umbilical cord blood. The chances of success are much higher with one’s own cord blood.

Also, stem cell transplantation from cord blood does not cause any delays, since the appropriate blood units are procured within days. Also, the incidence of more people getting the transplant is higher with cord blood cells than with matching bone marrow.
[1] Leukaemia facts and types, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre

[2] ‘Signs and symptoms of leukaemia’, Canadian Cancer Society

[3] Christensen, Damaris, ‘Umbilical Cord Blood Offers Another Option for Leukemia Patients’, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Volume 97, Issue 4

[4] Kotiah, Sandy, ‘Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia’, emedicine.medscape.com

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Should you opt for a bone marrow transplant or put your faith in cord blood? We shed light on the debate.

The world over, doctors are seeing a rise in the cases of bone marrow cancer[1] (also known as multiple myeloma). Bone marrow cancers occur when the white blood cells in the marrow become cancerous (known as myeloma cells) and begin to accumulate. Soon, they overpower the normal cells and attack bone tissue, which damages the bones.

Typical symptoms of bone marrow cancer include localised pain in the bone developing into a consistent pain that comes in waves, fatigue, fever and weight loss.[2]

What is bone marrow transplantation?

The world over, doctors perform bone marrow transplants from healthy, matching marrow to treat this disease; this is done so that new stem cells may be cultivated. Marrow is extracted from the breast bone, or the hip, skull, spine or rib – these are found to contain stem cells that produce leukocytes, erythrocytes and platelets.

However, the operation is often expensive and highly invasive. A bone marrow biopsy can reveal the extent of the issue, and if a transplant is deemed necessary, a search for the right donor marrow begins.

What’s different about cord blood transplantation?

As opposed to this, the use of cord blood in transplantation to treat bone marrow cancer is rapidly gaining ground[3], especially due to its advantages over bone marrow aspiration and transplantation. Let us briefly see some of these advantages:

– While collected bone marrow must be used within a few hours, cord blood can be stored and used even up to 12 years after collection.

– A bone marrow donor must be prepped and conditioned for the transplant under doctor’s supervision. No such condition exists for cord blood transplantation, with required units of blood being procured as per need.

– The recipient and bone marrow donor must be perfect matches, while in the case of cord blood transplants, HLA-mismatched transplants are possible.

– Stem cells found in cord blood are considered to have higher regenerative proportion than those in bone marrow – this has major implications in the cure of this particular cancer.

– Bone marrow may be transplanted about two or more months after the donor is found – this is done to prepare the marrow for operation, as well as complete legal formalities. Meanwhile, cord blood transplants can happen in a matter of days, once matching units are procured and the paperwork is completed.

However, there are certain factors to take into consideration in the case of cord blood transplantation to treat bone marrow cancer. There are no chances for repeat transplantation from the same donor and there is a risk of a genetic disease being transplanted into the patient during surgery. Doctors say that the chances of cord blood rejection are higher as compared to those for bone marrow transplants. It is advisable to speak with your doctor about both options of transplantation before making a decision.

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Does India offer parents the chance to donate their cord blood to public banks? What are the advantages of private cord blood banking? We examine the issue on private cord blood banking v/s public.

The focus of any new parent is on providing the best in care and comfort to their baby. It is the parents’ responsibility to make their child’s future as secure as possible – and the first step begins with preserving their child’s umbilical cord blood. If the child develops any conditions, his or her parents can rest assured that they have banked the cord blood for use in fighting the ailment.

However, there are also parents who donate their cord blood for use by other children than their own. This practice is known as ‘public cord blood banking’, and it is not very prevalent in India since the country does not have many public repositories for storing donated cord blood[1]. Slowly, private blood banks in India are offering the option of storing donated cord blood as well.

Why Opt For Private Cord Blood Banking?

Public cord blood banks are collecting & storing the cord blood derived stem cells only. They do not process & store cord tissue stem cells. The main objective of storing the cord blood stem cells are because they have to sell it at exorbitant price. They have a minimum standard of stem cells they have to store otherwise the same would not be sold. Practically, a large portion of cord blood collected is discarded before processing. But the ambiguity is that conditions like Autism, Cerebral Palsy does not need very high quantity of stem cell count. Another option is double unit transplant. So if the baby or baby’s family members need them same, they will be deprived of their stem cells, if the same is not at all processed.

There is one key factor at the centre of the decision between choosing public or private cord blood banking: the child. “When parents opt for public donation, there is no way to ensure that the stem cells will be available for their own child in the future,” says gynaecologist Dr Bharti Gujrati. “Also, the process of finding matching stem cells for transplant becomes very cumbersome when one goes via the public banking route.”

She explains that the only way to ensure that you have access to your child’s cord blood in the future is by opting for a private cord blood bank. “Whether you need your child’s cord blood for your child or his sibling in the future, it is always better to preserve it in a private blood bank. Nobody else can use it without permission, and parents can rest assured that they have a backup option ready to use in case their child is suffering from some serious disease. Also, if the parents feel they don’t want to preserve the cord blood any longer, they can opt to put it in a public repository,” Dr Gujrati says.

The Challenges in Public Cord Blood Banking

In the Indian context, the biggest challenge for public cord blood banking is finding and keeping enough blood units to match the country’s huge ethnic diversity and population. Thus, when the time comes, it may become extremely difficult to find a donor match for oneself or one’s child – as was seen in the high profile case of Dr. Nalini Ambady, the Indian American professor who died after a fruitless search for matching bone marrow in India and abroad.

Every Sample Is Not Viable

The problem is further compounded by the quality of the collected samples – many samples may have to be discarded if they do not contain enough viable stem cells. “When advising parents about stem cell banking, many doctors do not mention that each and every sample may not be useful,” says Dr Pravin Gadre, paediatrician. “Parents should not think that storing the cord blood automatically creates a ‘cure’ for their child or his siblings, or even for themselves. Not only can the sample lack enough stem cells, the quality of the blood may also be in question. Sometimes, the cells are not a match even for siblings. All of this information must be imparted to parents who are considering banking their child’s cord blood,” he adds.

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There was a time when people faced a lot of issues when diagnosed with life threatening diseases like cancer, blood disorders, where the body’s defense mechanism could not generate cells to fight the disease. However this scenario has been changing for the better, what with the introduction of cord blood banking in India too.  If you are new to this term then it makes sense to understand it first. To do so here are a few details about this life saving revolutionary technique.

What is Cord Blood?

The blood that remains in the placenta and the umbilical cord after childbirth is known as cord blood. This blood is a rich and easiest source of harvesting stem cells that help in treating genetic and hematopoietic disorders. In other words it is a life saver that needs to be saved today for a better tomorrow.

What is a Cord Blood Bank?

A cord blood bank is the place where the blood collected from the umbilical cord after childbirth is stored. It is much like any other blood bank where the blood is harvested for different cells like red and white blood cells and platelets. In the same way the cord blood is source from which the technicians harvest stem cells that help in regeneration of cells and defence mechanism in our body when required. These stem cells are saved and kept frozen until it is needed by the person for whom it was banked in the first place. Cord blood banking in India is comparatively new, while people all over the world have been banking cord blood for a few years now.

Though new cord blood banking in India, has been gaining popularity and most new couples are planning to save cord blood for their children. This cord blood can help the child in treat nearly 80 different ailments like leukaemia, lymphoma, immune system disorders etc. Cord blood banking is a need today since we are facing a time where anyone can be diagnosed with life threatening disease anytime. The only way to combat these diseases for sure is the stem cells available in the blood collected from the cord at child birth.

The technique involves multiplying these stem cells by different methods to build up tissues. It is the safest of all adopted methods because one can escape the chemical procedures during the treatment. Cord Blood Bank helps in preserving these tissues. There are multiple cord blood banks in India, some are looked after by private companies and several others are managed by the public sector. They preserve it for a course of period and charge a minimal fee to meet their costing needs.

Next, when the person would want to use these stem cells, they multiply it to the double and keep the same amount of cells with them that they pass on to the person. These stem cells have this inherent characteristic of reproducing themselves limitlessly. It is on this principle that the Cord Blood Bank works. They reproduce these stem cells to preserve it for future. In this way, one can also reuse these stem cells so as to remain ensured throughout their life. It is a new mantra to spend an assured healthy life.

Cord Blood Banks help in giving the first healthy gift to the baby child by their parents. These stem cells are present in the umbilical cord that joins the baby to the mother. It is preserved by the Cord Blood Banks in their laboratories. They allot you the specific number of your preserved cells. They are the most reliable treatment one can afford as it helps the person to fight back the life threatening diseases like Cancer.

The choice of Cord Blood Bank should be made wisely. The private companies charge the person who wants to preserve their stem cell with minimal fees while the public companies give this facility for free. However, the determined precautions are more accurately followed by the private companies. Hence, one should be very sure while making a choice. The specified temperature and an extremely hygienic atmosphere is a must needed environment for the preservation of Stem Cells. As this method is only a decade old in India, public firms are not aptly advanced for maintaining the set atmosphere. However, in the near future we can expect them to work on these issues.

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Stem cells are those cells that can regenerate and get divided into three different categories of cells, namely the red blood cells, white blood cells and even platelets at times. These cells are available in different parts of the body the most common being the spinal column. But the procedure done to extract these cells is extremely painful and at times could be life threatening too. When a doctor was required to harvest these cells they would follow a long process to determine the donor so as to match before being transplanted. However, today this process can be phased out slowly with the introduction of umbilical cord blood banking. This process has made it easier to get stem cells required to fight against various diseases.

This newly invented scientific process is where the stem cells gathered from the umbilical cord blood are conserved in the cord blood bank for future use. Umbilical cord blood banking has made it possible for the child to fight against quite a few threatening diseases with the help of cord blood. These stem cells require extremely hygienic atmosphere and a specific temperature for their preservation. Hence various precautions are adopted while preserving this blood.

To understand better, one needs to know what the umbilical cord is. To tell you, the umbilical cord is the cord that links the developing embryo or foetus to the mother’s placenta, which allows the blood to carry oxygen and nourishment to the baby in the womb. Once the baby is delivered, the umbilical cord is severed. This was earlier discarded along with the placenta as medical waste, till scientists became aware of its potential medically.

How Does This Work?

The blood is collected from the umbilical cord after childbirth during the process of umbilical cord blood banking. Once it is collected this blood is frozen and reserved on the name of the child it has been saved for. To begin this process the parents should decide to save the blood and sign up with one of the well known cord blood banks in the country. Once they sign up the blood bank is informed about child birth which is when they send their technicians to pick up the cord lining as well as the cord blood to be preserved and complete any other formalities required. These banks charge a fee to save the blood since they may be required in the future and not immediately. The charges vary depending upon the bank you have decided upon.  These stem cells are made available to the person when required.

Why is Saving Your Cord Blood Important?

It is important today because it’s a rich and easy source of stem cells. Also these cells are relatively pure when compared to cells harvest from your body, since they have not been exposed to pathogens. This makes them free from being carriers of any other diseases. Not only this, but also these cells are the easiest to match and the process is faster than searching for a donor of stem cells. So it makes perfect sense to think of umbilical cord blood banking for your child’s future.

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Stem cell banking is one of the fastest growing sectors in medical technology in India today. Though it is a relatively new field in the country, cord blood banking and stem cell banking are catching on in a big way, even in India’s Tier II towns and cities.

Doctors are also doing their bit to educate patients about the advantages of stem cell banking. Increased awareness about the sector, coupled with information in the mass media, is also spurring many expectant couples to sign up to bank and store their new baby’s stem cells and cord blood.

Excellent Practices in India

Advanced medical technology, comparatively lower costs and easy payment options are all combining to make India a competitive market for stem cell banking. The country is home to premium cord blood banks, which are not only proficient in storage techniques; they also tie up with hospitals and clinics (which may do the actual collection of cord blood) to make the entire process easy for customers.

India is also one of the top destinations in the world for medical tourism, with many foreigners making their way to the country for surgeries and treatments. Stem cell banking is a viable option for many foreign nationals, who find the procedure easy and affordable in India.

Worldwide, there are about 170 cord blood banks in different parts of the world, but this number is set to go up dramatically up to year 2017. India is poised to share a small but vital part of this pie; the penetration rate of cord blood banks (both State-supported and private) is still just about 5% in India, as also in countries such as China and some countries of Europe. However, the market reach is expected to double in the next five years, with the Government expecting to streamline regulatory approvals for cord blood banking and regulations for private stem cell banks.

Easier Processes in India, Cheaper Costs

Initial costs of sourcing and banking cord blood and stem cells may seem high to a lot of potential customers – it may be as high as Rs 1,00,000 at some banks. Parents can bank their child’s cord blood for a period of 21 years – a contract is signed with the blood bank stipulating all conditions – and they can use it when their child is suffering from a serious disease and needs stem cells for a cure.

Parents are banking their children’s stem cells as insurance against future diseases; since stem cells are able to regenerate, they have major implications in the curing of several genetic and auto-immune diseases and disorders. However, a new trend to emerge is that if parents find that their children are healthy, they are terminating their contracts with the cord blood banks mid-way. The collected cord blood may then be donated or discarded, depending on what the parents desire.

EMI Options

India is one of the few countries in the world whose private cord blood banks offer an EMI option for parents. The costs of stem cell banking can become prohibitive for parents, coming as it does right on the heels of expenses incurred for delivery of the baby in hospital. The costs also go up because most of the equipment used in blood banks for storage and procurement is imported even today, and there are high taxes and import duties on the same.

However, many major cord blood banks in India are offering parents the option of paying the money in monthly instalments. With the payment becoming extremely easy, more and more parents are able to bank their child’s cord blood and stem cells for future use.

*Statistics quoted in the report are sourced from ‘Indian Stem Cell Banking Market: Trends & Opportunities (2012-2017)’.

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Stem cells are a precious resource for your child. They are the most vital foundation of the body’s immune and blood systems. Significantly, they can regenerate into other cells to become a DNA match – this is important for the times when your child’s body needs to fight back and heal itself during a serious disease.

Modern medicine has identified more than 80 diseases that stem cells can help fight and eliminate. Thus, it naturally follows that sourcing and banking your child’s cord blood is solid insurance for his or her future health.

But most parents today have not banked their child’s stem cells, and some of them are faced with the horrifying ordeal of watching their children suffering from auto-immune diseases, or serious disorders related to the blood, heart, nervous system, etc. The stem cell banking trend is a relatively new one in India, and thousands of parents have not had the chance to explore the possibility of banking their child’s stem cells to safeguard its future health.

However, there is a huge likelihood of stem cells matching between blood siblings – hence some parents have taken the chance to have another child to save the life of their firstborn.

Siblings Bonding For Life

Manasi Thakur has an eight-year-old daughter, Anagha. Two years ago, Anagha was diagnosed with juvenile myelomoncytic leukamia. A single parent, Manasi was staggered by the thought of losing her. “I consulted many doctors in the country. Finally, one doctor in Pune suggested that stem cells from a sibling (which could provide a genetic match) could save Anagha if complications arose,” she says. After her divorce, having another child was not an option for Manasi. Luckily, Anagha responded to treatment and her cancer has been in remission for a year now.

However, other women have had no choice but opt for a second baby. Sonali Pradhan’s* (35) six-year-old daughter Priyanka was diagnosed with sickle cell disease four years ago. Her doctor told her about cord blood banking and that siblings could be a match. “We had wanted just one child, but saving Priyanka’s life was in our hands,” Sonali says, adding that she became a mother to a boy two years ago. “Doctors could use my son’s stem cells for Priyanka. We pray that she will be completely cured,” she says.

For Avni and Pushpak Shah, having a second child was a conscious decision. “There is a history of degenerative heart disease in the family, and we didn’t want our son to develop complications later,” Avni says. The couple had always wanted two children, so when Avni was pregnant for the second time, they signed up to have the new baby’s stem cells banked for 21 years. “This was our way of safeguarding both our children,” she explains.

Meghna Moorthy*too opted for another child – at the age of 42. “My son was diagnosed with a plasma cell disorder. It was difficult to conceive, but I now have another son and he helped save his older brother’s life.”

Not Always a Match

However, a second child may not always be the perfect stem cell match for the first. “I talk to parents about the possibility of having a second child, with the caution that it might not always work,” says gynaecologist Dr Prachi Gajaria. Adds counsellor Dr Madhavi Gupte, “Parents are crushed when the second child’s stem cells do not match. I have had to speak to some mothers who are resentful of the second child, and the added expense of raising it. Parents must make this decision only after considering every factor.”

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We all hear about numerous breakthrough researches on stem cell transplant procedures. When expectant parents are advised to go in for cord blood banking in Hyderabad, or Bangluru for that matter, they are often confused by the medical jargon used to explain the wide scope of the procedure. Here is a look at some of the general stem cell types and the generic treatments that they can be used for.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

These fall under the adult category, and are usually extracted from the bone marrow. However, in recent times, they have also been isolated from other tissues, such as peripheral blood, fetal liver, lung tissue, as well as fallopian tube and cord blood linings, which has greatly popularized cord blood banking in Hyderabad and other cities in India. These are multi-potent and widely known in bio-medical research for their ability to interphase to make up bone, cartilage, tendons, muscle, adipocytes and skin. This basically means that they can reproduce non-blood adult cells.

Hematopoietic Stem Cells

They are popularly known to be found in the bone marrow, largely in the femur, pelvis and sternum. Today, it has been established that the umbilical cord blood is also a rich source of these cells, because of which doctors all over India encourage cord blood banking in Hyderabad and other cities. Small quantities are also found in peripheral blood. These cells are known for their potential to regenerate blood and immune cells, amounting to the production of over a billion cells on a daily basis. Research that focuses on extending the scope of their use has been ongoing for more than 45-50 years and hemotopoietic stem cells have been successfully used in treating conditions like leukemia, immune system deficiencies, as well as other blood cancers and disorders. The first record of blood-forming stem cells dates back to 1945.

Neural Stem Cells

Establishing the fact that neural stem cells can be a source for glia and neurons has been a landmark discovery of bio-medicine. Prior to this, it was accepted that the nervous system was devoid of rejuvenation. This class of stem cells facilitates both regeneration and repair of neurons.  The human brain has its own stock of these cells, however, researchers are working frantically to successfully extract large units from other source like embryonic cells and cord blood. While an ethical debate surrounding the former, the latter is possibly the best source. The promise for the future is why doctors and other medical experts encourage cord blood banking in Hyderabad and other Indian cities. Neural stems have the answer to epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism, Parkinson’s disease, Batten’s disease and other injuries to the brain.

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In 2007, Timothy Brown was ‘the patient’ who facilitated a breakthrough in bio-medicine. He was the first person who was essentially completely cured of HIV/AIDS in the history of the disease. Brown, then aged 46, received a bone marrow transplant owing to a severe case of leukemia. To this end, doctors chose a donor with a rare genetic mutation of immune cells, having the potential of obstructing HIV from attaching to the other healthy cells. This gave Brown a brand new immune system, packed to resist the virus, sowing the seed of hope for over 30 million people with this condition.

Current Break Through

Research is now a step closer to designing an optimum cure. Imitating the success of Brown’s treatment; on April 29, 2013, the University of Minnesota became the base for yet another milestone. Physicians of a young boy diagnosed with both acute lymphoblastic leukemia and HIV attempted to cure him through cord blood transplant.

How Does This Cure Work?

HIV is known to latch on to the CCR5 protein in white blood cells, as an entry level access. A genetic abnormality, termed as CCR5Δ32 by scientists, has the capacity to protect the body from the AIDS strains.

So, when CCR5Δ32 cells are injected into a diagnosed patient, it curtails the virus, although it does not fully eradicate it. While the patient will be under no possible threat from the virus, the risk of transfer to others still exists. It is also believed that with time, the dormant virus will be flushed out by the newly geared system, although this line of thought is vastly debatable, just like the dormant Tuberculosis strand.

It is an established fact that the treatment drastically reduces adverse impact of the virus. However, focus is required on cord blood banking and the need for more blood banks to identify and build an inventory of the mutant gene. This added potential to the list of disorders that stem cells already combat only reflects on its future promise for treatment.

Pressing the Importance

Cells isolated from cord blood can be collected only when a baby is born. Many expectant parents are shielded from the benefits of this essential resource and thus miss the opportunity. Experts all over the world are focused on this branch of research and endlessly implore on its reach.

Scientists are convinced that almost all conditions will soon be able treatable with cord blood therapy. If the past decade is anything to go by, its scope certainly looks promising.

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Multiplying Stem Cells

A molecule was developed by the team at the Universite de Montreal, which proved to be the key to multiplying the stems. This, coupled with a bio-reactor, has shown to successfully allow significant increase in the number of umbilical cord stem cells drawn from a single unit of cord blood. The molecule, dubbed UM171, is still under a line of testing to find out future effects.

Why the Need to Multiply?

A unit of blood from the cord is enough to treat a child; however, an adult requires more units. This is due to the significant size difference between adult and child. Umbilical cord stem cells have the ability to transform and give rise to different types of stems, including that of the blood and immune system that protect our body. While your child’s cord might be a match for a relative, other donor matches are difficult to come by. People diagnosed with myeloma, lymphoma or even leukemia need to go through stem cell therapy, often a last resort for saving life.

Most doctors are faced with the challenge of finding viable stem components that are a perfect match, with a relatively low risk percentage of rejection by the recipient. This poses a bigger problem nowadays due to the large mix of ethnic groups. And even if such a match is found; a single unit is not sufficient to regenerate and restore a large adult system, particularly the blood and immune systems.

The Scope of Such Transplants

To date, stem cell therapies have seen a positive success rate; coupled with the ease of collection and availability. They have been used to treat malignant diseases, such as acute lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma, neuroblastoma and myelodysplastic syndrome, to name a few. The treatment of non-malignant diseases include aplastic anemia, Gaucher disease, immunodeficiency disease and congenital cytopenia.

Thus, it is highly recommended that parents bank their child’s umbilical cord stem cells so that it can be used in future conditions contracted by the child or by a family member.

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Embryonic Stem Cells

These stem cells are drawn from embryos that are by-products of clinical fertilisation. Many scientific and religious bodies have voiced that an embryo has the potential for new live, and that this potential begins at the point of conception. So, rightly speaking, the foetus holds human rights throughout its multiple stages of development.

Researchers claim that the rights of the embryo are rightly balanced out in the greater good that it might do to others, in the form of stem cell therapy. Scientists reason that embryonic stem cells are an essential tool for understanding “biomedical mechanics” in humans. This research will ultimately show which stem cells are the best for different therapies.

In the recent times, scientists have come up with lab created human embryos, which have been specially designed for the purposes of research. Even in this case, many groups voiced the opinion that man is not the creator of life, and that human life created only as a means to an end is highly unethical. Their reasoning went on to proclaim that when other rich sources of stem cells are available, like adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells, why resort to a game with human life!

Cord Blood Stem Cells

Due to the various concerns voiced in the use of embryonic stem cells by ethical commissions and societies across the world, there was a need for a new source of potential stem cells, in order to advance in the implications on stem cell therapy. This drove the study of biomedicine to explore cord blood stem cells. It was seen that cord blood derived embryonic stem cells had the rare characteristic of versatility. Although they might not be as primitive as embryonic stem cells, they are definitely more immature that adult cells, like the ones found in the bone marrow.

These cord blood cells are drawn from the umbilical cord blood of an infant, immediately after birth and stored for life. They have the potential to combat a multitude of medical conditions. Research is still underway, but researchers are confident that this would be the future of bio-medicine, where all ailments will be linked to stem cell therapy from cord blood.

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Advancement of Stem Cell Therapy

Major birth defects include neural tube defects, congenital heart defects, autism, Down’s Syndrome, pediatric stroke, cerebral palsy, pregnancy injuries and hearing impairment, to name a few. And these are the cause of nearly 20% of the infant mortality and childhood hospitalization cases seen around the world. Due to biomedical advancements, stems cells drawn from the bone marrow and umbilical cord blood have proven enormous healing and therapeutic properties. This was the first permanent answer to such neonatal conditions. They have also been used to treat conditions like spinal and liver injury, lung and heart injury, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis. So how successful has it been in treating brain injury?

Pediatric Brain Injury

Brain injury in children can be caused pre or post birth. However, the effects are more or less the same. Brain injury affects cognitive-communication, learning abilities, language skills and logical reasoning. In most cases, the injury is left undiagnosed until the later stages of development. Until a few years ago, treatment for this was only rehabilitation. However, with the availability of umbilical cord blood banking and advancements in stem cell research, there is hope for successful treatment of pediatric brain injury.

Scope of Stem Cells in the Treatment of Brain Surgery

On October 2013, researchers at the University of South Florida suggested that stem cells might have the potential to repair traumatic brain injury. And so, a series of clinical trials were conducted and it was seen that the stem cells built a “biobridge” linking the uninjured parts of the brain with the damaged region. This is because stem cells found in adult bone marrow or those drawn from cord blood have the potential to perform different functions.

These multi-potent cells can be manipulated to perform as neural cells and offer a ray of hope for traumatic brain injury. Although clinical trials are still under way, researchers are hopeful of success in the near future. This is why umbilical cord blood banking has been gaining ground all over the world.

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The Doors Opened by Cord Blood

Cell therapy gives hope to many people around the globe fighting different health conditions and terminal illnesses. Stem cell therapy endeavours to restore and regenerate cells that have been damaged or destroyed by diseases. Although these techniques are still relatively new, their applications and scopes put them at the pinnacle of bio-medical research. Today, researchers are battling conditions like diabetes, cerebral palsy and autism. All this has been possible only through the huge stock of cells made available via stem cell banking.

Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes

The world’s first clinical study to prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes was conducted in Australia, using umbilical cord stem cells. Since then, numerous studies have been conducted all over the world. The hope is that by injecting these unique immune cells into the patient, the disease could be corrected and even prevented entirely.

Hope for Autism

Autistic children are found to have diminished oxygen supply to specific areas of the brain and suffer from immunologically centred inflammatory conditions. A breakthrough in bio-medicine occurred when mesenchymal cells were found to regulate the immune system. This line of research is said to be a ray of hope for many children suffering from autism, who are all now relying on donor matches from public cord blood stem cell banking.

Cerebral Palsy Treatment

This is a condition that relates to permanent physical disability, caused by damage to a developing brain. In their urge to find a viable solution, scientists tested the scope of cord blood in counteracting this condition. Although treatments like controlled hypothermia have shown some success, stem cell research in this field, shows a more promising path. Within a matter of six months, children in the clinical trials have shown a leap of improvement, and this just highlights the need for stem cell banking.

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What is Umbilical Cord Blood Banking?

This technique involves the storage and collection of a newborn’s cord blood and tissue, for preserving it with continuous reliability over a long period of time. Need for this arose as a result of the immense potential linked to cord blood cells and numerous cord tissue banking benefits, in short, translating to the hope of regenerating damaged and infected organs, cells and tissues.

How is Cord Blood and Tissue Collected?

Cord blood is extracted immediately after birth, using a quick and painless procedure. After the umbilical cord is cut, the blood is drawn out from the cord using a needle and a special collection bag. The tissue in the cord lining is also extracted for preservation as an extension of the cord blood collection process. It is done by cutting a segment of the umbilical cord, after which it is stored in a sterile container.

How are the Collected Samples Processed?

This refers to the process of separating the stem cells from the cord blood, so as to produce a sample that can be safely stored and used in clinical procedures. Even the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urges that the cord blood unit should be reduced to a stage where there is low plasma and red blood cells, prior to cryopreservation. This will reduce the chances of future complications and fully promote the linked cord tissue banking benefits.

Patented Technology Linked to the Collection of Cord Blood

Many cord blood banks have strategically partnered with research institutes to use patented technology during cord blood extraction. CellOptima™ is one such proven technology that safely enables the extraction of cord blood cells and tissues.

Storage of Cells and Tissue

After the samples have been collected and processed, the unit is ready for cryopreservation. No matter how the sample unit has been processed, cryopreservation is added to it to ensure that the cells can survive through the cryogenic process. The unit of cells is cooled slowly to a temperature of -90°C, after which it is transferred to a liquid nitrogen tank, to be kept frozen at -196°C. The slow cooling process is important so that all the cell and cord blood banking benefits can be extracted at a later date.

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The use of embryonic cells was looked down upon by various medical and religious societies, on the ethical ground that man does not have the authority to destroy human life and that embryos also have rights, since they are the beginnings of human life.

Volume of Storage Brings Hope

Today, the storage of umbilical cord stem cells is a huge industry. Just looking at the staggering numbers in the USA is enough to prove its humongous size. Almost 1.15 million cord blood units are being privately stored in American cord blood banks, and each unit contains approximately 60ml of cord blood.

However, to qualify for donation in a public bank, a single unit of cord blood should weigh 144gms or close to 89 ml. Today, there are nearly 200,000 units stored in public banks in the US. And because there is no dearth of cord blood for research, scientists have been able to discover some life changing uses for it.

Current Uses and Research

Today, cord blood has been used successfully used in treating conditions cancers of the blood and immune system, lymphomas, bone marrow cancers, leukemia, sickle cell disease, Fanconi anemia and inherited blood abnormalities.

Results have been more prominent in children than adults. This is mainly because adults require at least two units of cord blood, as opposed to one unit in children, who are much smaller.

So, apart from research on treating conditions like diabetes, cerebral palsy, autism, heart condition, AIDS and other such disease; research is also being focused on trying to draw more number of umbilical cord stem cells for a single cord. Multiplying them to give a larger unit base is a priority for researchers right now, so that there are sufficient stem cells for the treatment of an adult.

Whether you choose to donate or bank your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells privately, it is crucial to understand that it provides a base for numerous life-saving treatments, both now and in the future. The possibilities of this rich resource will continue to expand through the years.

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The foetus in the womb receives nourishment through the placenta, which is attached to the uterus wall. This placenta is connected to the baby by way of the umbilical cord. After the infant’s birth, this cord is clamped and cut away, leaving behind a small stump.

A baby’s stump will automatically drop off in just about a week’s time. When the baby is born, a plastic clamp or a tie is usually out on the stump to help it heal. This tie is left on for a few days until it dries and seals itself; eventually it will shrivel up and then drop off. There will be a small wound that will soon heal in a couple of weeks.

How Should I Care for My Baby’s Stump?

Regardless of whether you have chosen to store the baby’s stem cells, the umbilical cord stump has to be kept clean and dry to prevent any sort of infection. Here are a few recommendations that you can use while taking care of your child.

1. While giving your baby a bath, it is safe to get the stump wet and this will not slow the healing process.

2. Your baby’s stump can be washed with plain water. If required, add a mild and unperfumed baby soap or a pH neutral baby cleanser to the bathwater. Gently pat the stump with a soft towel or cloth to get it dry, before putting on a diaper or nappy.

3. Using an antiseptic is not required. It is quite sufficient if it is left clean and dry. The use of antiseptics might cause the stub to take longer to fall.

4. Always ensure that you handle your infant’s stump with clean and dry hands. It is a good idea to wash your hands every time you want to handle your baby.

5. Avoid dressing you child in tight body suits. Have them wear loose t-shirts to allow sufficient air circulation, which will speed up the drying process. Ensure that you tuck the diaper or nappy below the umbilical cord stump.

6. Let the stump come off naturally. Do not pull it off even if it is just hanging by a thread. Doing this might cause the region to get inflated or swollen.

7. When the stump eventually falls off, you might spot a little blood. This is completely normal and can be cleaned when you give your child a bath.

Umbilical cord stump infections are quite rare, but be sure to contact your doctor if there is any swelling or redness around that area or if the stub becomes weepy, along with emitting an odour.

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*Terms and conditions apply. Cordlife India reserves the right to amend the stem cell banking price plans without prior notice.

Additional facilitation charges for hospitals need to be paid by client if applicable.

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