Once you’ve decided to bank your baby’s stem cells, half your battle is won!

After all, the banking of your baby’s cord blood is a life-changing decision for you.

But, since this is about your trust with a piece of your baby, it’s natural for you to feel worried and have several questions in your mind about it.  

And the most important questions will be regarding cord blood collection.

Read on to find out the answers to your questions.  

How Is Cord Blood Collected?

You might have given birth to your baby vaginally or might have had an emergency C – section; once your baby and the placenta is delivered, the cord is disinfected and the vein is punctured to clamp and cut it a few inches apart. This is when the caregiver, inserts a needle into the cord and collects the blood left behind in the cord and the placenta in a sterile collection bag. However, there is an “ex utero” method of cord blood collection. That means, collection of the blood “outside the uterus”.  In this method, the technicians, actually wait till the placenta is delivered to drain the blood.

Do Babies Feel The Pain When Their Umbilical Cord Is Cut?

No. Rather, the whole process of umbilical cord blood collection is absolutely harmless and painless both for you and your baby, as it does not have nerves for you to get hurt.

Will You Have Any Role To Play In Cord Blood Collection?

Yes! You will only have to remember that, while signing the application with the cord blood bank, a cord blood collection kit was given to you. This kit has all the necessary materials to complete the process of collection of the cord blood. Don’t forget to carry that kit with you, and the information your doctor and the cord blood bank about it while you are about to go to the hospital for your baby’s delivery. As you may not be able to be in a condition to inform them, while you’re delivering your baby or after you’ve delivered your baby.

Why Is The Cord Blood Collected?

Research has shown that the cord blood is packed with enormous haematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells, which has the capacity to differentiate itself into different blood cells, during a stem cell transplant. This self-renewing capacity of these stem cells have been instrumental in treating over 80 medical conditions, like cancer, thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, thus making cord blood banking an important decision for expectant parents. Here’s is the reason why is the cord blood collected.

How Long Does It Take To Collect The Cord Blood?

The whole process of collection is carried out by some of the trained technicians and it takes only 5 minutes for the blood to get collected. Any amount of delay might reduce the quality of the cord blood. Therefore, immediately after the delivery of the baby, the medical courier collects the collection kit box, which is then properly labelled to send it to the bank for further processing and storage in the laboratory.

To Conclude

In fact, the cord blood banks consider that with proper storage and freezing method (in liquid nitrogen), your baby’s stem cells can be preserved for decades. Or maybe for an indefinite period of time so that, your baby and your extended family can use it for treatment at any time, even after two decades of its being stored, thus making cord blood storage an absolute worth.

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Today, more and more parents-to-be are recognizing the benefits of cord blood banking and are opting for stem cell banking for their newborns. However, there still are many who have heard of newborn baby stem cell storage but are not aware of the right questions that they should ask regarding cord blood banking. For those who are contemplating newborn stem cell banking, here is a list of questions that you must find answers to before making a decision.

What is Newborn Cord Blood Banking?

Stem cell storage is the process of collecting and preserving stem cells from umbilical cord blood. The blood is collected from the umbilical cord soon after birth and then sent to a cord blood bank for baby stem cell storage. The process of baby stem cell collection is painless and harmless to the mother and child. Stem cells can cure more than 80+ diseases including various genetic disorders, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and even neurological diseases. 

What Are the Benefits of Stem Cell Banking?

Stem cell therapy is emerging as the most effective treatment against more than 80 diseases including type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are found to be more effective than stem cells collected from bone marrow. Therefore, if you have a history of genetic diseases in your family, then you must preserve your baby’s stem cells. Newborn cord blood banking can protect not only your child and other children but also other members of the immediate family.

Do I Need to Store the Stem Cell of All My Children?

The cord blood collected from one of your children can match the other child. However, the chances of matching are 1 in 4. Therefore, to ensure smooth matching of stem cells it is ideally recommended that you preserve the stem cells of all your children.

What Should I Look For While Selecting a Cord Blood Bank?

Newborn stem cell banking is an important decision. You should entrust your baby’s cord blood to a reliable and trustworthy bank. Things to consider while selecting a cord blood bank include:

• Good reputation: Always select a bank that is known for its services and is financially stable to take care of the cord blood stem cells for a longer period. 
• The technology used: Select a bank that has advanced laboratories that use enhanced modern technology to operate. A state-of-the-art laboratory will ensure that your baby’s stem cells are in safe hands for a quarter of a century.
• Accreditation: The bank should have all the government clearances and accreditations. This would guarantee that the stem cells will not go wasted.
• The bank’s collection kit: The stem cell bank that you are selecting should have a proper collection and transportation kit to ensure the safe collection and transportation of the newborn stem cell.

Should I Go For a Public or Private Cord Blood Bank?

In a private bank, you will have full access to your baby’s stem cells as and when you need them. Whereas in a public bank, anyone can use stem cells. In addition, your baby’s stem cells may also be used for research purposes.

Hope all your questions regarding cord blood banking and stem cell preservation benefits are answered. Now use this knowledge and your research to make an informed decision.

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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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Stem cell banking has opened up a world of possibilities. Now, we can ensure the health of our child by using biological resources. Think of it as a self-repair kit. However, before opting for cord blood banking, you must know about the options available to you.

What is Cord Blood Banking?

Cord blood is present in the umbilical cord and placenta after delivery. Cord blood is a rich source of stem cells. Through, cord blood banking, we can collect the cord blood and freeze the stem cells. These can be later used for future medical use.

Before the 1990s, however, the umbilical cord and its blood were considered medical waste. Today, parents know the importance of the regenerative powers of the stem cells contained in the blood. This is why they choose to store it so it can be used to treat life-threatening diseases.

Cord blood stem cells are mainly Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), which means that they can transform into various blood cell types.

What is Cord Lining Banking?

Cord lining banking, on the other hand, involves storing different types of stem cells. The cord lining membrane contains Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and Epithelial stem cells (ESCs). 

Mesenchymal Stem Cells give rise to various other cells that make up the structural framework of our organs. These include skin fibroblasts, ligament fibroblasts, chondrocytes, osteoblasts, smooth muscle cells, skeletal muscle cells, tenocytes, cardiomyocytes,  neuronal cells, and adipocytes.

Epithelial stem cells (ESCs) produce cells that line the body. They can be diversified into skin keratinocytes, epithelial cells of the cornea and conjunctiva, mucosal epithelial cells of the oesophagus, small and large intestines, airways and lungs, bladder and uterus, as well as liver cells.

What Are The Different Healing Properties Of Stem cells?

Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), found in cord blood, 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 leukemia and other blood disorders.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and Epithelial stem cells (ESCs), found in cord lining membrane, repair and heal the body differently when compared to cord blood. Over the years, they have shown immense healing capabilities. They not only aid the repair of injured tissues and organs but can also treat a number of diseases. MSCs on the other hand, are building blocks of structural tissues of our body, such as the bone, cartilage, and muscle. In fact, Mesenchymal Stem Cell therapy has evolved as a strong contender in the fight against the deadly effects of the Covid-19 virus. Cells derived from ESCs form many parts of our body, including skin, hair, cornea, sweat glands, and other secretor cells, sensing cells, and cells that cover vital parts of our body such as the liver. Given their various cell types, these stem cells show a lot of promise for cellular therapies and regenerative medicine.

They are also undergoing evaluation in more than 300 trials. If all goes well, they will be used to treat heart diseases, stroke, spinal cord injury, cornea repair, and healing burns and diabetic ulcers.

Which Is The Best For You?

Both cord lining banking and cord blood banking offer your child and your family members a range of treatment options. You can opt for both to ensure your child’s safety.

Once considered medical waste, stem cells are now hailed for their life-saving properties. So, don’t listen to the naysayers and give your baby and your family the power of regenerative healing.

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Doing umbilical cord blood banking for your baby provides an assurance & a piece of mind. However just like any insurance it is imperative not to trust the words of a salesman, but to validate the assurance yourself. If you thinking of securing your new-born’s precious cord blood stem cells with a cord blood banking company, you should look into a number of aspects before zeroing down on a company. Apart from checking the company’s experience in terms of years in the business, Companies financial condition (as we are talking of a relationship which is 21 years and beyond), national & international accreditations and technology you should keep in mind is the agreement you sign with your cord blood banking service provider.

Afterall, it is the agreement that binds both the parties (you and your brand) throughout the tenure of the storage and thus a start of a long journey or a relationship begins.

In this article we provide you with a comprehensive guide with regards to the important aspects that your cord blood banking agreement should entitle:

Sample Processing and Preservation

While taking the cord blood banking presentation, whatever quality standards was committed with regard to the collection of the cord blood should be specifically mentioned in the agreement. The technology that is being used to process of the cord blood should be clearly mentioned. If the Company is providing advanced technology which will have minimal or no human intervention, as this will help in retaining the maximum viability and potency of stem cells should be considered. Ensure that this is categorically mentioned in your agreement.

Who Remains the Custodian Of The Stem Cells and Till When

Generally, the mother will get the right of the baby’s stem cells until the baby turns major. After which, the right of the stem cells will be transferred in the baby’s name.

Journey of Your Sample From Storage Center to Transplantation Center

In case there is a requirement for transplantation, the retrieval and transportation of stem cells is an expensive affair. It is always desired that the company should take complete responsibility of the transportation of the stem cells. The liability of the company should end only once the transplant center or the doctor confirms that the stem cells which is delivered is good enough for transplant. Additionally, the duration within which the sample should reach the transplantation center (domestic and international) should also be specified in the agreement.

If the stem cells lose its potency when it is checked at the transplant center, then the company should be liable and committed to provide an alternative matched sample within the agreed timeframe. Inability to procure the same should claim for compensation.

Financial Expenses For Transplant Programme Should Be Covered

Any transplantation cost, is a significant burden on parents. Ensure that, the agreement not only mentions that the treatment cost is covered but the cord blood banking agreement should clearly specify the name of the insurance provider. 

Diseases Covered

Please read the insurance clause minutely to find out what are the diseases which are covered in the insurance. We are doing cord blood banking because the treatment options for stem cells is growing day by day. The diseases/ conditions which are currently under research/ clinical trials may become a reality tomorrow. So the gamut of conditions under financial assistance should cover most of the treatments under clinical trials and not only the diseases which are currently approved. 

Members Covered

Agreement should also clearly define the members of family who would be covered for getting the benefits. 

Add On Services Are Always a Plus

A cord blood company offering services like HLA Typing and CFU Assay, Expansion of Umbilical cord blood, provision of Supplementary sample or additional matching or bonus unit are beneficial for parents and should be clearly documented in the agreement. 

Schedule of Fees

You agree to pay the fees and charges set forth on the Schedule of Fees attached within the agreement.

Feasibility of Assurance

We have to be judicious enough to understand the feasibility of the value-added services offered. None of the private cord blood banks across the world are Ngo’s. all of them are here to make profits. Ask for the feasibility & logic for services which does not look logical or practical. 

Addendum

Please refrain from choosing the company which commits you to provide change of clauses or adds new clause’s/ benefits through an addendum. Such kind of addendums may not hold good in the court of law, as the “Authorized Signatory” cannot change for the addendum. 

Cordlife agreement covers these and even more vital points. We pride ourselves in having one of the transparent agreements in the Cord blood banking industry and honoring each and every clause that is mentioned in the Cordlife agreement. Therefore as parents before you zero down on the cord blood banking company whom you will entrust to secure your baby’s precious stem cells for more than two decades, we tell you why Cordlife, a brand known for its premium-ness should be your first and only choice.

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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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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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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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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 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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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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We all know that autism cannot be cured. But Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development researchers have found a way to alleviate the symptoms of autism, thereby offering a better life for children with the condition. And the key to this therapy lies within their own umbilical cord blood stem cells.

The researchers at the Duke conducted a study to find out if the symptoms of autism can be lowered down in degree by infusing blood, derived from their own umbilical cord. They have published their findings in April 2017 and since then it has all the media attention.

The trial involved 25 children between 2 and 6. Geraldine Dawson, director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development confirmed that all the children have displayed improvement in terms of the autistic symptoms. Dawson mentioned, “We measured the children’s social and communication abilities using various tests and parent questionnaires. We found that the infusion was safe and many children showed improvements in their social and language skills.”¹

In this study, the children received stem cells from their own umbilical cord blood. After the infusion, their improvements were being monitored thoroughly. The doctors found that the infusion was completely safe for the children. After one year, these children were called for another round of tests in order to measure their further improvements.

Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, the professor in the department of pediatrics, said that the process is entirely new to them. Dawson said that the study is still at its nascent stage, as they don’t have any standard comparison factor to compare the effectiveness of the therapy for autism, as there was no control group of autistic children involved in the study to compare the results. Dawson added, “Because there was no comparison group in this study, we don’t yet know whether the improvements we observed were because of the cord blood. As much as we’re hopeful that this is helping, we don’t want to prematurely make claims that haven’t been confirmed.”²

After the successful Phase I, the team is ready to start with Phase II trial, which is expected to be completed in two years. Unlike the Phase I, the second Phase will include a blind control group, where children will get a placebo infusion. Moreover, the Phase II will involve 165 children with autism.

Dawson said that the children will be divided into two groups. One group will receive umbilical cord blood stem cells and another group will receive a placebo. The groups will be switched after six months and the children will receive the opposite therapy. This will enable to researchers to find out the effectiveness of stem cell therapy for autism. Kurtzberg added, “There is a remodeling of certain abnormal brain connections [by the microglia], which then results in decreasing symptoms of autism.”³

Though the first trial showed immense improvements in the children, the team is still hesitant to call it a full-proof therapy for treating autism symptoms.  They will be able to answer all the unanswered questions after the comparative Phase II. Kurtzberg added, “At the conclusion of [the Phase II] study, we’ll be able to answer the question about whether cells are effective.”⁴ 

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Cord blood is the richest source of stem cells and is derived from the blood of a new born baby’s umbilical cord. Stem cells are used in various clinical processes these days. Once collected and preserved, the cord blood stem cells have the healing power to treat many diseases by growing new tissues, blood vessels and even organs. They are collected and stored in various cord blood banks, so that they can be used later. There are a number of assumptions and misconception about cord blood banking. If you too have any questions or doubts about cord blood banking, this blog will help you a lot.

Cord blood banking involves three stages.

Collection

Cord blood is derived right after child birth and before the placenta is delivered. The blood is collected after the cord is clamped and cut. So, the process is entirely safe and painless for both the mother and the child. The procedure can be applied in both vaginal and C-section cases.

The process is so quick that often new mothers remain unaware of the collection. Parents can donate their baby’s cord blood to any cord blood bank, so those who need it, can use it later. New parents can even pay to store their baby’s cord blood to treat any of their family members’ diseases. However, before the delivery, blood samples of the mother are collected and tested for any infection.

Processing

Cord blood remains healthy and intact for up to 72 hours of collection. After it reached the bank, it gets tested and processed within 72 hours to ensure the highest recovery chances. Along with the maternal blood, the cord blood is also tested for any infections. In the next step, the cord blood sample is processed to separate the stem cells from the plasma and the red blood cells. This way, the stem cells are gathered from cord blood.

Preservation: Once the technicians get the stem cells, they proceed to preserve it. The preservation process involves freezing at a very low temperature, so that the stem cells remain intact without any side effects like ageing. This way, the stem cells can be preserved for decades.

There are two types of cord blood bank: Public and Private.

Public Cord Blood Bank

These banks collect cord blood by donations. Parents willingly donate the cord blood for patients, seeking a stem cell transplant or clinical researches. Anyone can choose to store their baby’s cord blood in the public banks and there are no charges involved. However, once donated, these cord blood cannot be reserved for family treatments.

Private Cord Blood Bank

Sometimes new parents decide to store the cord blood of their new born, so that it can be used to treat any diseases of the family members or even the baby in the long run. If you have more than one child, the siblings can use each other’s cord blood for surgeries. However, it’s recommended to store cord blood, each time a baby is born.

Use of cord blood has increased drastically in the past few decades. With more researches involving stem cells, the demand for cord blood will only grow. And cord blood banks play a pivotal role in this entire procedure and how!

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Having a baby is anything but easy. You need to prepare yourself mentally to be able to go through the pregnancy, labour and delivery experiences as stress-free as possible. As your due date comes closer, your doctor has probably broached the subject of possible birthing options that are available to you. If you have basically had an uncomplicated pregnancy then a vaginal birth is definitely on the cards. However, C-section is also something that you must have talked about during your pre-natal visits.

If an elective C-section has already been decided then banking the cord blood and the tissue at the time of birth is really simple. All preparation for the collection of the sample can be made prior to the birth. A phlebotomist from the cord blood organization will be present during the surgery along with the collection kit. If the representative is not able to make it, then a nurse or even the doctor can collect the sample and temporarily store it in the collection kit that you are meant to carry with you to the birthing center.

If cord blood banking is something that you have decided to invest in, having an unplanned C-section might actually have some impact on the process. A major surgery that is performed under sterile conditions, it is only the doctor in question that can approve what can or cannot be a part of the operational area as concerns about infection are on top of their priority list.

Contrary to what you may think, it’s not a completely hopeless scenario and cord blood collection can still happen even for unplanned Cesareans. Most private cord blood banks manufacture their collection kits keeping in mind meeting the sterility parameter in the operating room. Similar to any surgical instruments, the collection bag – both inside and outside should be FDA sanctioned for usage in a clinical area.

In comparison to vaginal birth, there is a slight modification in the collection procedure for a Cesarean. Collection of the sample can only start once the gynecologist executing the surgery has completed the process and has additionally finished off with sealing the uterus. The surgeon should also have taken care of any other medical trepidation of the mother and the baby before progressing towards collecting the cord blood sample. There is a deferment involved in the collection process than a vaginal birth where the action is more immediate. Hence, the cord tends to yield less amount of blood.

It may not be what you desire but having a C-section is a very real possibility for every pregnant woman today. For certain complicated pregnancies, it can actually be a lifesaving action for either a mother or the child. Since protection is what we are seeking, banking your child’s cord blood and tissue is the next rational move towards ensuring a healthy future for your baby and the family.

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“Congratulations! You’re having twins.” When Naren and Seema had been informed of this ecstatic news, they were over the moon. The couple had been trying to conceive for close to a year and finally knowing that they were about to be parents, of not just one but two babies were more than they could have asked for.

The expecting couple were very careful during the first trimester as they had been informed that chances for a miscarriage were highest during that time. They followed the doctor’s instructions to the‘t’.  After the first three months were over, they decided it was time to inform their friends and family of their good news.

At a party celebrating their news, Seema’s friend Aditi enquired of the couple regarding their plans for cord blood banking. However, neither Naren nor Seema seemed to have much information on what it was. Aditi told them that the process of storing a newborn baby’s umbilical cord blood from which stem cells can be extracted and may be used to treat a wide variety of critical diseases and disorders like leukaemia, thalassemia, etc is basically what cord blood banking was all about. Seema was intrigued with the idea; however, Naren believed “it’s just a fancy marketing ploy by healthcare companies to get money from worried expectant parents. My babies will be fine. We don’t need to store anything for them.”

Even though Naren wasn’t interested in cord blood banking, Seema started her research online. The more she read, the more she learned of the benefits that cord blood banking could provide to her children. And not just for her twins, but any other blood relatives including the children that she could have in the future.

Eventually, she decided to ask her friend as to what had convinced her to opt for cord blood banking. Aditi said, “There is a history of sickle cell anaemia in my family. There were high chances that my baby too would have it. I was worried sick thinking of what life would be like for her if that happened. My doctor then told me about stem cell therapy and how quite a few clinical trials have been conducted which revealed that stem cell therapy can be used to treat sickle cell anaemia. That’s when I decided to go for it.”

Seema realised that she too wanted to ensure the safety of her babies’ future. She had read that cerebral palsy is quite common among twins and she decided that she wanted to be prepared in case her children too were affected by this ailment. That night she sat Naren down and explained her concerns to him, finally convincing him to change his mind since their babies’ health and wellbeing were their utmost priority.

Today, Seema and Naren are proud parents of two healthy baby boys, whose cord blood had been stored with a private cord blood banking facility since their birth.

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Recently, close friends Jayesh and Simran delivered a second baby boy, Kiann. Like responsible parents, they believed in their child’s healthy future and went for private cord blood banking in spite of having preserved the umbilical cord for their firstborn a few years ago. In just 3 months’ time, their newborn was diagnosed with osteoporosis. This is possibly a condition where Kiann’s bone formation could be at risk and may lead to a fatality. The couple were optimistic because they were told that stem cell transplantation could actually save their newborn’s life.

In the rarest of cases, when Kiann’s stem cells were taken for testing, the parents found out that Kiann’s cord blood cells contained the same genetic deficiency that caused his disorder. Jayesh and Simran were distraught. But there was light at the end of the tunnel.  Precedence suggested that doctors could explore using donor cells from a close match. In order to treat a genetic disorder known as Fanconi’s anaemia, the first successful sibling-to-sibling cord-blood stem-cell transplant was performed in 1988.

There was hope yet for Kiann. Since Jayesh and Simran had opted to invest in storing their firstborn’s cord blood cells a few years ago, the doctors on testing that sample were able to get a reasonably compatible match. The doctors chose to go ahead with the stem cell transplantation and Kiann is now well on his way to recovery.

So the question that most parents spend a lot of time on is whether there is a need to store the cord blood and tissue for each individual child? In Jayesh and Simran’s case, the fact that they preserved the cord blood cells for both their children actually helped to save the life of their second born child.

According to the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation, “Two full siblings have a 25% chance of being a perfect match, a 50% chance of being a half match, and a 25% chance of not matching at all.” However, Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, MD, Program Director of the division of Paediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation at Duke University Medical Center and one of the earliest to perform an unrelated cord-blood transplant in the U.S says, “One of the wonderful things about cord blood banking is that unlike bone marrow, you don’t always need a perfect match in order for it to work.”

Apart from the medical point of view of why one must consider storing the cord blood and tissue for both children, there is an additional take from a parenting perspective. By opting to bank the cord blood and tissue of a single child, most parents forget that it may lead to a regrettable situation where they may realize that they had made an unequal key medical decision.

Storing the stem cells of each child individually will allow you and your children access to a greater number of stem cells through which their future disorders and diseases can be cured. Dr. Jordan Perlow, MD, a maternal-foetal specialist in Phoenix, post attending medical conferences and having examined and analyzed findings about advances in stem-cell treatments now urges his patients to privately cord blood bank if they can meet the expense of it because he’s confident that it might save their child’s life or the life of another family member.

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In order to understand how stem cells are useful to us, we first need to understand what stem cells are. Stem Cells start in the embryo as immature biological cells, then become specialized to create bone, muscle, skin, the heart, the brain, and over 250 other types of specialized cells. This is why they are of such value to scientists doing both basic types of research in the lab and medical research in the clinic. They have the potential to regenerate tissue and cells that have been lost because of disease or injury.

Stem cell therapy has been used to cure a number of health conditions such as heart diseases, neurodegenerative ailments, and diabetes, with bone-marrow transplant being the most commonly used for stem cell therapy. There are many ways in which stem cell therapy can be conducted, however, stem cells derived from the umbilical cord blood are the safest to use for treatment. Moreover, stem cells from young individuals possess superior naivety and plasticity than stem cells from adults.

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is the most commonly found abnormality at birth, where the structure and function of the heart are not normal. In 2014, this congenital anomaly affected more than 1% of live born infants and accounted for more than 2.5 million affected children per year worldwide. CHD now occurs in approximately 7–8 out of 1000 live births, a slight improvement. Recent estimations reveal that up to 80% of newborns and infants with CHD are likely to reach adulthood, which can result in a high likelihood of complications later in life.

The cause of congenital heart disease is usually a combination of genetic and environmental factors. While some congenital heart diseases can be treated with medicine alone, others need to be treated with one or more heart surgeries.

In 2006, research at the Boston Children’s Hospital revealed that the heart has its own source of stem cells. These heart stem cells can form two major types of heart cells: myocardial cells (the muscles that, together, contract to make the heart beat) and smooth muscle cells (the lining of the heart’s blood vessels). This finding by Stuart Orkin, MD, and Sean Wu, MD, PhD, gave researchers a better insight into how the heart forms, and also gave a fillip to the concept of treating diseased or defective heart tissue with heart stem cells.

In January 2013, a study led by Bernhard Kuhn at the Boston Children’s Hospital found for the first time that young humans (infants, children and adolescents) are capable of generating new heart muscle cells. These findings gave rise to the possibility that scientists could stimulate the production of new cells to repair injured hearts.

A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital reported in PNAS Early Edition (July 2013 issue) that they were able to create blood vessels in laboratory mice using human stem cells. The authors explained that using stem cells to repair or regenerate blood vessels could eventually help treat human patients with cardiovascular and vascular diseases.

Stem cell-based strategies to cure heart failure in adults has been investigated with promising results; however, stem cell therapy strategies for the paediatric population with heart failure are in its infancy. Further clinical trial studies will be needed to understand the cell biology in order to optimise their regenerative potential.

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Over the years scientific development in neonatal medical care has been revolutionary. One of the best advances in this domain has been in the form of cord blood and umbilical cord tissue banking. Between the baby and the mother, the umbilical cord acts as the lifeline as it comprises of many blood vessels, through which the umbilical cord blood pulses. The umbilical cord tissue, on the other hand, enables the blood vessels to weather the stress and the presence of the cord protects and supports them from bending.

The umbilical cord tissue comes with a high concentration of mesenchymal stem cells or MSCs. A research article states that “MSCs derived from the umbilical cord tissue, termed UCX, were investigated for their immunomodulatory properties and compared to bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs), the gold-standard in immunotherapy.”[1]

According to available proprietary technology, UCX is being sequestered from the umbilical cord tissue; the methodology has proven to be quite strong, reproducible and will work adequately for stem cell banking. [2] It has been seen to produce a greater number of cells along with approximately 100% success rate with limited bacterial impurities.

In the present scenario, stem cells found in the cord blood are being used in the treatment of a number of blood-related diseases. However, there is a major hindrance as the volume of blood collected from the umbilical cord is low and can pose a drawback in terms of transplants. Studies and researches are currently underway to understand possible methods to increase the efficiency of cord blood transplants. Some investigations have delved into “ex vivo expansion of the hematopoietic stem cells before transplant, intensifying the homing of hematopoietic stem cells to the patient’s bone marrow, direct injections into the patient’s femoral bone, and transplants with multiple cord blood units” as stated in Banking Stem Cells From Umbilical Cord Tissue For Future Regenerative Medicine Applications. [3] A more direct technique is to make use of another stem cell population – MSCs found in the umbilical cord tissue – for co-transplantation with a cord blood unit, could well be the solution.

With technology to extract MSCs from cord tissue, the first step is to mince the tissue. This is further supported by an enzymatic breakdown process to “melt” away the cord tissue that in turn releases the native MSCs. An alternative way to preserve MSCs is to process the tissue and extract the cells thus securing them in a “treatment ready” form.

The clinical tests conducted on these cells have revealed affinity towards treating auto-immune diseases (diabetes, Crohn’s disease, graft-vs-host-disease), neurodegenerative disorders (Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s) and cardiovascular diseases (acute myocardial infractions, ischemia).[4]

Deciding to store the umbilical cord tissue will give you the opportunity to take advantage of the therapeutic potential of stem cells in regenerative medicine. Umbilical cord tissue stored in cord blood banks represents an additional source of stem cells that may have both immediate and future applications. However, the choice to store your child’s umbilical cord tissue is only available to you once, therefore, think carefully while making your decision.

Sources used:

• http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/111/1/430.short?sso-checked=true
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23755729
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23998751
• https://stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/scrt394
• http://www.assembly.wales/NAfW%20Documents/hhs74_-_anthony_nolan.pdf%20-%2024012011/hhs74_-_anthony_nolan-English.pdf
• http://www.hindawi.com/journals/sci/2015/583984/#B30
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23895058

[1] What Makes Umbilical Cord Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Superior Immunomodulators When Compared to Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells? – R. N. Bárcia,1 J. M. Santos,1 M. Filipe,1 M. Teixeira,1 J. P. Martins,1 J. Almeida,1 A. Água-Doce,2 S. C. P. Almeida,2 A. Varela,2 S. Pohl,3 K. E. J. Dittmar,3 S. Calado,4 S. I. Simões,4 M. M. Gaspar,4 M. E. M. Cruz,4 W. Lindenmaier,3 L. Graça,2 H. Cruz,1 and P. E. Cruz1

[2] R. I. Ganchas Soares, M. C. Baptista Coelho, J. M. Silva Santos, et al., Isolation Method of Precursor Cells from Human Umbilical Cord, edited by INPI, Medinfar, ECBio, Lisbon, Portugal, 2008.

[3] Banking Stem Cells From Umbilical Cord Tissue For Future Regenerative Medicine Applications – Rouzbeh R. Taghizadeh, PhD, & Kyle J. Cetrulo

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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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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 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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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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Pregnancy and holi have one thing in common – they both mark new beginnings. However, you might be wondering if it is safe to play holi and enjoy the festivities while you are expecting. You do not necessarily have to stay away from the celebrations. Nevertheless, let us first understand a few facts… During pregnancy, your hearts swells and you grow softer, literally! Studies show that the heart grows larger, in order to drive nutrition to your growing foetus and to manage the increased blood content and flow. Your body begins to produce relaxin, which is a hormone that softens the bones and ligaments, in preparation for the pelvis to accommodate the child and facilitate smooth labour. Your immunity levels also drop and the skin becomes more sensitive. Therefore, it is better to be cautions and take certain precautions while playing Holi, given your “delicate condition.” Vigorous activities and harmful colours might be harmful to the baby, and could even lead to premature delivery, miscarriage or birth defects. While our motive is not so scare you, here is some useful information that might help…

Why Chemical Colours are Harmful

Most chemical colours contain oxidised metals, so that they give a deep colour. Chances are these might contain one or more harmful substances, such as copper sulphate, lead oxide and mercury. Sometimes crushed glass is also used to increase quantity. While playing holi with powder colours, you could inhale these substances. And, while playing with water, these substances could be absorbed by your skin. This is turn could affect your respiratory and nervous systems due to your low immunity. Also, it could have a severe impact on the foetus via the blood stream. Lead, copper and mercury can impact growth and cause birth defects. These substances could also cause miscarriage, if the foetus is less than 20 weeks old. In fact, be extra careful if you are still in the second trimester, since over 80% of miscarriages occur in the first 20 weeks.

Is it Safe to use Natural Colours?

Many are under the impression that colours labelled “natural” are safe. It is important to know that the dye used might be extracted from either fruits or flowers. However, the powder base with which they are mixed might contain chemicals like zinc, lead and mercury. Therefore, pregnant women should preferably use homemade holi colours. Even if you are convinced with the claim that these are 100% natural; it is best to take a few precautions:

1. Apply a thin coat of oil, this ensures that the colours do not get absorbed by the skin. Also, it will not stain your skin as much, and come off easily. Wear fully covered clothes, so that you reduce your exposure to colours. For stubborn skin stains, consider using gram flour (besan) as a scrub.
   
2. Even if you use natural colours, it is best not to inhale it. Consider covering your nose and mouth with a light handkerchief.

 Avoid Water and Large Crowds

The simple reason for this is that you might slip, fall and get injured. While organic holi water might solve the issue of chemicals, the associated risk of slipping is still there. Also, it is better to stay away from a crowd, since there are chances that people might get boisterous.

1. A slip and fall injury can cause a miscarriage, displacement of the foetus, brain injuries to the foetus and pre-mature caesarean delivery.
2. Use powder colours, and play in a small gathering; where people understand your condition.
3. Stay close to a support structure, so you have something to grab on to, if you feel that you are losing your balance.
4. Talk to your family and friends and include games like Antakshari, which involves less movement.

Restrict Food and Drinks

The rich holi feast consists of deep-fried spicy snacks, chaat, bhang lassi (which has nicotine), ghee sweets, caffeine beverages and paan. And, these are exactly the things you need to stay away from during pregnancy.

1. Nicotine and alcohol have a two-fold effect. First, they could make you feel drowsy and increase your heart rate. Since your heart is already working extra, pushing it further might cause you to faint. Second, nicotine can affect your child’s brain and nervous system.
2. Due to hormonal changes, you weight might already be on the rise. So, it is best to control you intake of high-calorie foods. Also, too much oil and ghee might give you a stomach upset and indigestion.

1. Sweets might also cause gestational diabetes. While this usually goes away after childbirth, it could cause low infant weight, pre-mature delivery and birth defects.
2. If you are already diagnosed with gestational diabetes, make sure that it is always kept under tabs. It might increase the incidence of birth defects and still births. Also, a high rate of gestational diabetes might double the risk of type 2 diabetes after delivery for you.

Speaking of health issues, cord blood banking is an important resource for your child. Research shows that stem cells drawn from cord blood and lining can successfully cure over 80 diseases. So, this holi do something to celebrate the imminent life growing within you and invest in cord blood banking. The only colour this will give you is the colour of hope.

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Like most parents, when you decided to have kids, nuances in finance might have been the last thing on your mind. The role of parent to your little bundle of joy was your primary focus and now that the little ones are growing up fast, it is a good idea to start making some crucial decisions on financial investments, insurance covers and the much talked about cord blood banking.

Ways in Which You can Secure Your Child’s Future

There are three primary areas that you should seek to secure for your child – Life, Health and Future. It is important to start planning each of these areas at an early stage. Here are a few recommendations that might prove useful for you:

1. Life: A sound financial plan for their education, daily care and other activities.
2. Health: Medical Insurance cover and the latest Umbilical cord blood banking.
3. Future: Getting Life Insurance to cope with any future uncertainties.

Financial Planning

1. Investing in mutual funds is a great way to get the dice rolling.
2. SIP and fixed deposits are a smart choice when there are funding problems. They are less risky and yield good returns.
3. Opening a savings account in your child’s name and contributing a stipulated amount every month will prove immensely useful in the long run.

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking and Health

1. This was a fairly alien concept till a couple of years ago in India, but is becoming rapidly popular.
2. Collection and private storage of cord blood when the child is born is built around the possibility of its use either by the same child at a later date, or a sibling or another family member.
3. Diseases such as lymphomas, leukemia, sickle-cell anaemia, aplastic anaemia, immune deficiency disorders in your family history doubles the chances of your offspring being affected. Cord blood could prove to be a life saver in such cases.

Insurance Cover

1. Investing in medical insurance can save you extra stress during a health emergency.
2. Getting life cover has the dual benefits in terms of both savings and security.
3. A big advantage of child life cover is that the premium is relatively low because of the young age of the insured.

No matter where you start, the universal mantra is to start early. This will help you save more without having less money for everyday expenses.

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