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

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

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

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

Why Storing Cord Blood Should Be Considered?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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This is reported as one of the most common questions posed by the people who are in the phase of checking the pregnancy results. It is the curiosity or the anxiety for positive or negative results of pregnancy. Similarly, it is the most common myth or misconception that people have in their minds that a pregnancy test is affected by the consumption of drugs or alcohol. To know the facts of it, one has to understand the actual concept behind it.

Pregnant women have a special hormone in their urine called the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) and consumption of alcohol and its content in the blood stream has nothing to do with the pregnancy test. The hormone still produces irrespective of the fact that you may have consumed liquor. However, the consumption surely affects your baby in an adverse way.

Though the alcohol consumption does not affect the results of a pregnancy test, many other factors do influence the investigation which may be misrepresented as a change due to alcohol consumption. Hence, it is necessary to understand the actual time taken to conceive after having intercourse and the time taken for your body to convey it to you when you try to investigate it with the help of a pregnancy test.

As a sperm is live for 5 days once it enters your body, it is difficult to assess your precise conception date. The sperm might have entered and stayed in your body 5 days ago and may try to fertilize an egg today. An egg released today may unite with a sperm after a couple of days of sex as it can be live for 24 hours to 48 hours. However, egg fertilizing or conceiving is not just enough to get positive results in your pregnancy tests. It again takes some time to appear as the HCG is not produced as soon as you get pregnant and it is usually a week after the conception that it releases in the body.

This is still not enough to turn the pregnancy test positive as the amount of HCG produced in the body is not enough to rule out your pregnancy as positive. The hormone usually multiplies its content in not less than 2-3 days and hence it is usually after 10 – 15 days after the conception that a pregnancy test can get you the actual result. The higher the time after an intercourse, more chances of the results being accurate in the test that you conduct for yourself.

Since, the above information explains it all, we can now establish the fact that alcohol and drugs consumption does not affect the pregnancy test in any way but can cause fatal congenital diseases for your baby. A woman consuming alcohol or under drug abuse potentially increases the risk for her fetal baby. The addiction can jeopardize the growth of the baby’s cells. Impairments in brain and spinal cord may occur due to the damage done in pregnancy by consuming alcohol. Also, it is an established fact that a woman who quits the addictions even before she gets pregnant has more chances of having a healthy pregnancy and thereby having a healthy baby. Hence, the healthcare professionals always suggest getting de-addicted before one plans for a pregnancy.

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The common topics women share at a kitty party or post a gym session mostly are related contraception, pregnancy, labour stories, feeding patterns etc. Being a senior mother of 3 child births, I am usually the center point for many questions related to these topics. One such a question in the post gym session was, “Is it OK to exercise while breastfeeding?” If we have a rational thought process with a reality check, we have more than half of the answers in front of us. If we have to understand about the merits and demerits of exercising, let us think rationally!!

For this, we need to think how nature has incorporated a woman’s life post childbirth? After a brief initial rest if you deliver normally, doctors make you walk around. Once you are home, you have the additional responsibility at home towards the newborn child and the possibility is higher that you move around. The extra activity may be implicitly termed as an exercise but may be a little unsystematic one. This makes us understand the basics that women can exercise post childbirth or while breastfeeding to that matter.

In fact, the exercise adds to your health and works positively for breast feeding women. You may be surprised to know that even rigorous workouts keep the volumes of milk produced in your body unaffected. There is a social stigma that the baby will reject your milk if you exercise while breastfeeding and it is absolutely incorrect. You can even breastfeed the baby shortly after an exercise session. However, this may be different in a cesarean section case as they are not permitted to exercise immediately post childbirth and the duration is little longer.

There is an article in 1992 after a study that mother’s milk is found to have lactic acid in higher proportions immediately after an exercise and babies turn repellent as the milk is not as tasty as it used to be. These studies based on the 1992 findings are now highly in debate as the current researchers are skeptical with them for multiple reasons. As the babies were fed milk using a dropper although they are not habituated to drink milk this way, the studies are not being considered.

Let us keep the findings apart as the debate is still on. As long as the baby seems satisfied with your milk, you can absolutely go ahead and nurse them after an exercise session. However, you may feel more comfortable to nurse before you exercise as you have a sense of relieving after you feed and exercising with milk on may be little heavy. But if you can carry a workout session before feeding a baby as long as your baby is happy with the milk, go ahead and have a supportive bra to get into the exercise routine.

If you gave birth through a cesarean section, your healthcare provider would be able to recommend the right workout regime for you as it may not be correct for you to get into the normal routine. Be wary while making a decision and it is your health which is important than staying fit.

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If we had to choose between the natural and the artificial, undisputed, we lean towards the natural product unless the artificial one has undeniable properties. Nature has equipped womankind with ready made milk when they give birth to their child. Probably, this was nothing but the only option early humans. Since there was no rearing of cattle or no scope to feed the infant with formula milk, the breast milk was nothing but necessary and so was it rewarded to women. But with the generations passing by, humans became more civilized and discovered and invented many things to make their lives comfortable. Alternative sources of milk thus became extensively popular and a source of debate while attracting criticism.

There had been extensive distribution of literature on the benefits of breastfeeding for ages and it is an apparent fact that all the women want to feed their child with this exclusive food source meant only for their offspring. However, due to work commitments, health reasons or time clashes, many of them are unable to feed their younger ones.
It has been considered for years that mothers and babies enter into a special bond while the baby is being fed. However, mothers who feed their infants with formula milk can build a stronger bond too with their care giving and affection. Keeping the debate aside, many pediatric academics globally suggest feeding the baby for at least 6 months with breast milk exclusively and for one year with top foods.

Let us understand the benefits of both breast milk and bottle milk to let women choose the option that they are comfortable with.

Benefits for the baby:

• As we all know that breast milk provides the necessary nutrients to the baby as it is customized according to the baby’s age and requirement.
• The natural milk protects the baby from infections and they are less likely to be hospitalized. The mother’s milk builds immunity system for the lifetime by strengthening the immune system.
• Mothers pass antibodies to the baby while feeding which help building up a protective wall against many diseases.
• It is easy to digest and lessens the chance for the baby to fall sick due to indigestion issues. Colic, constipation and diarrhea are less likely when compared to formula fed babies.

Benefits for mothers:

• Nursing is much easier when compared to feeding with formula milk. Sterilizing bottles is a pain. Preparation time is saved as mother’s milk is ready made.
• Women who breastfeed have lesser chances of getting breast cancer and ovarian cancers.
• The women who breastfeed have faster recovery post delivery and their uterus goes back to normalcy within six weeks thereby helping the mother to lose the baby weight as they lose many calories while feeding.
• Breastfeeding can be used as a natural contraception method under some stipulated guidelines which is popularly known as Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM).

Adverse elements of breastfeeding:

• Sore nipples initially trouble many women who start off breastfeeding.
• While breastfeeding, it is hard to understand whether the baby had enough milk or not as it cannot be measured unlike the formula feed.
• Breastfed babies require more frequent nursing episodes than the formula fed babies and hence this can be considered as a time consuming task and may be a hindrance to working mothers.
• Bottle feeding is more convenient when you are in public places.
• Nursing mothers need to take care of their diet as good nutrition helps them in producing healthier milk. They should avoid smoking drinking and substance intake.

With the established factors, it is upto the mothers to decide on the effective method of feeding that is in the best interest of their child after considering the entire circumstances surrounding them. Since both the methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, any method chosen should be trusted as the best source for the child.

Sources:
https://www.livescience.com/51260-breast-vs-bottle.html
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/tc/breast-feeding-as-birth-control-topic-overview

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Nature has provided every organism with extreme defense mechanisms towards their off-spring and human beings are not an exception. In turn, humans do not leave any stone unturn to safeguard their younger ones with the help of their unique property called intelligence. Mother Nature has deployed the maternal and paternal instincts in humans. These instincts motivate them to take very special care when it comes to nurturing their off-spring. A care-free young lady with a lesser sense of responsibility turns explicitly defensive while taking care of the child and this infact starts even before the child is born.

Thanks to technology which is making us plan the pregnancy and its ability to be able to analyze it for any defects the neonate may have soon after birth. There are even established facts which can suggest us about the measures to be taken in order to prevent birth defects. However, there are 4% of disorders which affect an unborn child irrespective of the care taken. Rest of them can be avoided with few habit changes. They may be a little tough to handle but when you’ve planned for a baby, your preferences automatically change and the priorities will be shifted from you to your baby. Let us find some measures to be taken during pregnancy to keep your baby free from congenital disorders.

Start on Folic Acid Supplements

Folic acid is the most essential element for a pregnant woman in shaping up her baby’s brain and spine. Folic acid is a vitamin B available from fortified foods and supplements.

Alcohol Consumption Can Be Disastrous

A developing baby in the fetus may get alcohol in the mother’s blood stream through the umbilical cord and it can be fatal for the baby. Miscarriages may be vulnerable with alcohol abuse in pregnancy. Still birth and a series of long lasting intellectual, physical and behavioral disorders are susceptible. No particular time and no specific variety of alcohol are ever suggested to pregnant women. Termed as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), they are imminent with alcohol abuse.

Stop Smoking When You Are Planning For Pregnancy

Pre-mature birth, cleft lip, cleft palette and infant death are the possible ailments smoking may cause to a pregnant woman and her neonate. Being around tobacco smoke itself is harmful for the mother and the fetus. Hence, it is good to avoid being in the vicinity where someone is smoking.

Drugs are a Threat for Pregnant Women and Their Fetuses

It is nothing but putting your baby in jeopardy with the consumption of drugs. These can lead to premature labour with low birth weight, placental abruption, intra-uterine death (IUD) and maternal death. Any kind of drugs are not safe at any particular level.

Leading a healthy lifestyle by consuming nutritious diet within the norms of the pregnancy diet is very important. If you are planning your pregnancy, it is recommended that your BMI should be brought down if you are considered as ‘obese’. The risk of serious birth defects escalates with every extra pound the mother gathers. Diabetes and blood pressure to be kept under control as it has a negative impact on the fetus. Keep visiting the doctor in regular intervals to get your health condition monitored. An ideal healthcare provider would suggest you the necessary medications during pregnancy and the vaccinations which are required during pregnancy. Pregnant women with infections are at greater risk of having babies with birth defects. Your doctor should be aware of your condition if there are any infections on you. These measures and little care can get you a healthy baby in your hands as it is time to prioritize on the baby.

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Although it is a mother’s responsibility to feed a child, nature has still equipped us with an internal feeding resource with amazing properties which cater to nutrition for life time and we all know what that resource is. We have proven facts that breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for infants not only in humans but in all mammals.  Despite the experts suggestions to feed the babies breastmilk for 6 months, few enthusiastic mothers prefer to add external semi-solid diet from the fourth month onwards. Instead of getting into the debate of when to start the baby food, let us understand what a baby food should comprise of. It is also important to know the correct source between homemade baby food and store bought food.

As long as the infant has meager activities, the breastmilk or formula was sufficient. However, with a progression in the child’s activities, additional nutrition is also required especially in the first year for necessary growth and bone development. Eating capabilities also increase in a baby with the months passing by and parents should start accommodating the necessary solids in a child’s diet.

Why Is It Necessary To Make Homemade Baby Food?

Though a lot of effort is involved in making baby food at home, it has deserving benefits.

Affordable and Economic

If the food is made in various batches by preserving additional units for later, the homemade stuff undoubtedly saves money as there is a huge price difference between these two foods.

Nutritious

You are the one who decide what to include in your baby food and what not thereby having complete control on what the baby consumes. This result in feeding the infant with nutritious food free of preservatives, sodium fillers, food grade dyes etc. which are not necessary for them and are not nutritious as well. Children who are vulnerable for allergies are safe.

Too Many Options

As pediatricians suggest acquainting all the foods to a baby that adults eat by the ninth month, we get a lot of options to try habituating to the child. You don’t have to settle down with the limited options in the baby food available in the market. Instead, you can mix up multiple ingredients to make the meal wholesome and tasty.

Which Is The Better Choice Between Homemade and Store Bought Food?

Many numbers of children from ages have been dwelling on the store bought infant food and you are still a mother undoubtedly if you have decided to avoid making food from scratch. There are merits and demerits to both the foods and you are the one to decide which a better choice is for your baby. In fact, you can opt for both by preparing some fruit purees at home and getting store bought food for the days when you are really low. Either which ways, you are emphasizing on the importance of nutrition before you get some food.

Many working mothers find it extremely convincing to balance the child’s nutrition and the work pressures by opting both the foods. Potato purees, fresh fruits smoothies, vegetable juices etc. are the best ideas to make at home. Use whole ingredients while making homemade food as it can help nourish the child. The store bought cereals are ready made and are instant for mixing and consuming on busy days. However, be wary of the ingredients of the store bought food and opt for a whole meal instead of foods using fillers. These fillers make the baby put on necessary weight but contain meager nutrition.

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Pregnancy is the best time to learn about the benefits of breastfeeding so that you can give your baby a healthy start in life. Knowing what to expect will help you make the decision to breastfeed and make it easier to get through the rough patches.

Breast milk is the ideal nutrition for newborns as it contains everything your baby needs to grow. It has just the right combination of protein, vitamins, fat and is easy on the baby’s immature digestive system. It also contains antibodies that help your baby fight common illnesses like ear infections, colds, etc. No wonder breastfed babies tend to get sick much lesser. Breastfeeding is good for the mother too. The hormones released during breastfeeding help the mother’s body recover from childbirth and make the uterus contract back to its pre pregnancy size.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6months of the baby’s life after which nutritious solid foods must be introduced. Breastfeeding can be continued beyond the 6 month mark, alongside complementary foods, for as long as is desired by mother and baby.

It takes about 3 to 4 days for breast milk to come in and most new moms have similar questions when they start their breastfeeding journey. How much milk does my baby need? Am I making enough? The good news is that babies do not need much during the first couple of days.  As days go by your baby’s demand will go up and so will your supply.  You can tell if your baby is getting enough and feeding well if,

• Your baby wets 6 to 8 diapers a day
• He seems settled after a feed
• Your breasts get soft after the baby feeds
• Your baby unlatches on his own
• Your baby is putting on weight

It is essential that both mother and baby are comfortable during the feed. Poor latching and incorrect positions can make it uncomfortable and difficult to continue breastfeeding for 6 long months. Sore nipples, excessive back pain and general discomfort during feeds can discourage a new mother. Work on establishing a good latch with the help of experienced moms or a lactation consultation. There are many positions and holds like the cradle hold, football hold and reclining position. Finding a position that works for both you and your baby will go a long way in making your breastfeeding journey comfortable.

Priya, first time mother of a healthy 9month old says, “I almost gave up on breastfeeding when I had to go back to work 3 months after my little one was born. That’s when I turned to the breast pump.” Pumping breast milk has become a common practice amongst mothers. Mothers need not have to stop breastfeeding when direct breastfeeding becomes infeasible.

However, if for any reason you are not able to breastfeed in spite of your best efforts, fret not as there are alternatives.  Speak to your healthcare provider about it.

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Duchenne muscular dystrophy or DMD is a serious genetic disorder that affects hundreds of children every year. This disorder leads to conditions like atrophy and muscle weakness. There is no cure for the disease, however, supportive care can be offered to take care of their lungs and heart but these arrangements can only extend their lives till 27.

Now what causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy so dangerous for children? Kids, suffering from DMD cannot produce dystrophin, a protein that helps to keep away the muscles from breaking. The main reason is, these people have gone through a mutation in their gene in the X chromosome, which is responsible for providing the blueprint for dystrophin. The genetic mutation may lead to a more critical situation where most parts of the dystrophin get affected and a result the body stops producing the protein completely.

For some people with DMD, there are so many errors in the gene that the body cancels out the affected protein the moment it’s created. However, what’s more interesting to see is, the researchers have concentrated on the genes that are completely flawed and that interrupt in reading blueprint to produce dystrophin.

In order to address the criticalness of this condition, researches have conducted a study on a mice model. Multiple groups of researchers have harnessed the technique of applying gene editing enzyme complex CRISPR in order to modify the genes of mice with DMD. The technique allows cutting the errors in the genetic code, so that their effects can simply be avoided. After that the body starts to read the gene and then produce a shorter version of the protein that manages to protect the muscles from breaking down so easily, much like the process to treat patients with Becker muscular dystrophy.

The process involves loading the CRISPR complex into a virus and then injecting it to the mice fetus with DMD. The researchers have found that the mice began to create the shortened protein once the virus is injected into them. This helped the mice to resume the power of their muscles, which gradually led to a concrete treatment of their disease. So, the research was quite successful on the mice model.

The findings have generated a thin window of hope for the people, suffering with Duchenne muscular dystrophy mutation as well. But the process was easier for mice, and the researchers know that it’s not going to be the same easy game for humans. Moreover, no matter how foolproof the technique is proved for the mice, it may not deliver the same results on humans.

The scientists have established that the CRISPR can cut away additions to the gene but it will still take some time to show if it can address other kinds of mutations at all. Researchers are also not sure about the reactions of CRISPR complex in humans. Chances are that they might get rejected by the human immune system altogether. If it does not prove to be a 100% fix to the disorder, it means that the technique will not be able to treat all patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy mutation.

However, having said all these, it’s also true that this research is the first ever experiment to have shown success, even if on a mice model. And researchers are hopeful that with more clinical trials, they might achieve the desired results soon.

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Researchers were wondering from ages as to what could be the actual cause of Huntington’s disease which causes involuntary jerky body movements disabling the victim to exhibit physical and mental coordination. The awkward bodily momentum gradually worsens after the initial unsteady gait putting the victim in jeopardy. Parental inheritance being the focal reason, this disease is hard to prevent and has been affecting millions of people globally without a documented cure. However, the available treatments reduce the severity of the symptoms and aid the victim in lessening the care giving requirements.

To enhance the quality of life of the global populace affected with Huntington’s disease, researchers are looking forward to get core advancement in finding an explicit medical solution. However, the extensive research to find the root cause of Huntington’s disease has enabled the researchers to get a key which can be a potential advancement in finding a generic solution to lessen the severity of the ailment. It is established that a mutant of the Huntington (mHTT) protein is the fundamental cause of the disease though the researchers are still unclear as to how it disturbs the brain cells’ function. As per the established findings of late, mHTT vitiates the cellular transport process adding to the neurotoxicity eventually resulting in loss of neurons.

Caused by an extended CAG repeat in the Huntington (HTT) gene, this neurodegenerative disease with mHTT plays pivotal role in disrupting the transport system of a cell which normally requires mobilizing multiple elements from its nucleus to the other parts and vice-versa. It has been pragmatically realized that mHTT creates aggregates in the central operations area that is in the nucleus preventing it from passing through the nuclear pores.  This pile up in the mHTT following the stagnation in the nuclear passages kills the brain cells by shutting them down.

The new fact discovered can drive the researchers to find out new ways to fix the cellular traffic jams there by aiding the process of finding new treatment methodologies for the Huntington’s disease. Although it is a fact that this step towards an advanced research in finding the cause for the disease is in the initial stage, the researchers are excited with their discovery as these findings are the stepping stones in conquering the Huntington’s disease along with encouraging the search for new therapeutic modules.

Biotech companies and pharmacy companies are looking forward to dwell on this very concept to capitalize it and bring into existence various therapies for biological processes. Hope they get abundant clues to prove the fact that early birds get quick worms in the course of their research. Ultimately, it is the millions of people who are affected with the Huntington’s disease who get the best of the research.

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Doctors of the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System have successfully conducted a stem cell transplant to cure a rare blood disorder, named congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA). It’ a rare condition, in which the body does not create enough red blood cells, which leads to organ damage and even early death.

This is the story of David Levy, who started experiencing the unbearable pain of CDA when he was 24. The pain was so severe that he had to leave his studies. He stated, “I spent the following years doing nothing – no work, no school, no social contact -because all I could focus on was managing my pain and getting my health back on track.”[1]

David Levy used to receive regular blood transfusions for more than 30 years, so that his tissues and organs keep receiving enough oxygen. When he was 32, he lost his spleen and developed an enlarged lever. As the results of regular blood transfusions, he was suffering from other illnesses such as fatigue, palpitations, and iron poisoning. At last, a desperate David wrote to Dr. Damiano Rondelli, the Michael Reese Professor of Hematology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

He recollected, “It was bad. I had been through enough pain. I was angry and depressed, and I wanted a cure. That’s why I started emailing Dr. Rondelli.”[2]

Dr. Rondelli stated that many institutions had rejected the possibilities of stem cell transplant on Levy just because of his physical condition was not stable enough to agree to chemotherapy and radiation. But Rondelli performed transplant on Levy in 2014. He said, “This procedure gives some adults the option of a stem cell transplant which was not previously available.”[3]

He also stated that Levy’s condition created the optimum situation for the transplant. He added, “For many adult patients with a blood disorder, treatment options have been limited because they are often not sick enough to qualify for a risky procedure, or they are too sick to tolerate the toxic drugs used alongside a standard transplant.”[4]

After the surgery, Levy, now 35, is back to his normal life, even though he still feels the pain. He is pursuing his doctorate in psychology and runs group therapies at a behavioral health hospital. He said, “The transplant was hard, and I had some complications, but I am back to normal now. I still have some pain and some lingering issues from the years my condition was not properly managed, but I can be independent now. That is the most important thing to me.”[5]

The specialty of the transplant is, no chemotherapy and radiation were administrated in order to prepare the body for the surgery. The process involves the donor’s cells taking over the patient’s bone marrow slowly to avoid usage of any toxic agents to discard the patient’s cells. Rondelli said, “The protocol can be used even in patients with a long history of disease and some organ damage because of the minimal use of chemotherapy.”[6]

Rondelli believes that the procedure has a great potential to treat severe congenital anemias. He concluded “The use of this transplant protocol may represent a safe therapeutic strategy to treat adult patients with many types of congenital anemias – perhaps the only possible cure.”[7]

The story of David Levy truly evokes a raw of hope for many such patients!

Sources:

[1] First patient cured of rare blood disorder  – https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uoia-fpc032017.php

[2] First patient cured of rare blood disorder  – https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uoia-fpc032017.php

[3] First patient cured of rare blood disorder  – https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uoia-fpc032017.php

[4] First patient cured of rare blood disorder  – https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uoia-fpc032017.php

[5] First patient cured of rare blood disorder  – https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uoia-fpc032017.php

[6] First patient cured of rare blood disorder  – https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uoia-fpc032017.php

[7] First patient cured of rare blood disorder  – https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uoia-fpc032017.php

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When my friend Sasha was pregnant, she told me how often she felt tired. We all know that pregnancy brings its share of happiness and discomforts for the mum-to-be. And sleep problems was just one of discomforts that comes as a part of the package. Most women tend to feel exhausted in the first and third trimesters. But Sasha was completely taken aback by how wiped out she felt right in the initial months of the pregnancy.

Sasha’s gynaecologist said, “A lot of women are totally surprised by how fatigued they feel during the first trimester. Many women know about morning sickness during pregnancy but a lot of women were unaware of the fatigue that you feel during these months”.

So Are You Meant To Sleep For Two Now?

Just like women are meant to eat for two when pregnant, health experts are now emphasizing on the fact – that women should also sleep for two -during this pregnancy period. The reason being that pregnancy can affect both the quantity and quality of sleep.

As the body undergoes changes and pregnancy discomforts bothers more often, it becomes difficult for the mothers-to-be to fall and stay asleep. However, eight hours of sleep is what every pregnant woman should aim to get.

Researchers have presented their analysis that due to the fact of not sleep well during pregnancy; women tend to be more irritable, exhausted and have poor concentration levels.

According to an article published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AJOG), first time mothers-to-be who get less than 6 hours of sleep each day are most likely to have a C-section delivery in compare to those who get more than 7 hours of sleep.

So What Can You Do About It?

Sasha’s doctor suggests the following:

1)    During pregnancy, one should make a habit of hitting the bed early rather than late.

2)   Sasha’s doctor says, “Because of the many possible disruptions like nightly bathroom visits, morning sickness, snoring, to sleep during pregnancy, napping is a good idea as long as the woman can fall asleep that night.”

3)    The last recommendation was trying to position yourself on the left side with the knees bent whilst sleeping especially if you are prone to suffering from heartburn. This position improves the blood and nutrients flow to the foetus and uterus and help the body to get rid of any waste and additional fluids.

And exciting factors can also play a part. The exhilaration and looking forward to of having a baby as well as the uncertainties of the fast approaching parenthood and the nervousness about the actual experience of labour and delivery can all be taxing and make a woman feel more tired than usual. It is best to follow what suits you best during this time. You and your baby come first.

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One is well aware of the fact that excessive weight gain or loss could possibly lead to an inability to become pregnant. The imbalance of weight is affecting the fertility of women profusely, so much so that around 12 per cent of infertility problems are due to imperfect body weight, meaning either obesity or low body weight, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Now, having pointed that out, let’s delve into the fact on why and how weight imbalance affects pregnancy. Actually, being extremely over or underweight impacts the pituitary gland, causing it to malfunction and spark problems with ovulation.

But besides that, many other problems have been examined by the experts, mainly related to overweight and infertility.

• Women who are overweight or obese are likely to take more than a year to get pregnant than average women of healthy weight.
• A woman who is obese is more prone to a miscarriage than a woman of healthy weight.
• Obese women are likely to have diabetes that develops during pregnancy and it is called gestational diabetes.
• Obese women tend to develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, resulting in damaging other organs, often the kidneys.
• Obesity also increases the risk of postpartum infection which leads to delivery related complications.
• Obesity also leads to an overdue pregnancy that is the continuation of pregnancy beyond the due date.
• Obesity also increases the risk of an emergency C-section. It also leads to a complication like a wound infection. Women who are obese are also less likely to have a vaginal delivery after a C-section.
• Infants born to obese women are likely to be large in size than it is normal, and need neonatal intensive care or have a congenital abnormality.

Obesity is associated with poly-cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is one of the major causes of infertility. And sadly, it is found to be the most common hormonal problem, affecting at least one out five women’s reproduction.

Being underweight is also a concern when it comes to pregnancy as it is known to reduce the fertility quotient in women extensively. As this affects the hormonal balance and ovulation, there is less possibility of a successful pregnancy. In fact, compared to healthy weight women, underweight women are likely to take a year more in order to get pregnant.

So, finally, the question is, what should be the ideal body weight to have a successful pregnancy? According to the Institute of Medicine, obesity is measured by the ratio of height and weight of a man and woman.

• Normal BMI: Defined by an index of less than 25.
• Overweight: Defined by a BMI of 25 or more.
• Obesity: Define by a minimum BMI of 30 to 34.9 and maximum above 40.

And for improving the chances of having a healthy pregnancy, follow the below mentioned steps:

• Go for regular prenatal care check-up during pregnancy.
• Consult the doctor about how much weight you should lose or gain during pregnancy. But do not diet in order to lose weight as it can lead to malnutrition for your baby.
• Do regular activities like yoga and free-hand exercises as prescribed by the doctor.

The post Both Over and Underweight Can Affect Pregnancy! appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

Maria Torres, a healthy, fit woman of 43 was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. It was totally out of the blue. She was a woman who took her health and fitness seriously with regular exercise, healthy eating and weight management. She just couldn’t believe it. Refusing to accept the reports, she requested her doctor to re-test her. Nonetheless, the results were the same. Her life would now undergo dramatic transformation and no one could fully explain why this was happening.

“It really scared me,” says Maria. “I thought I was going to die soon.”

No one was surprised at Maria’s refusal to accept the diagnosis. She just did not fit in with the profile of a typical Type 2 diabetes patient. The probable reason behind this could be some undiscovered genetic element that made Maria vulnerable to the condition.

In order to manage her diabetes, she had to modify her existing lifestyle. Whilst her pancreas was producing insulin, that instruct the cells to take in the blood sugar, her cells had developed insulin resistance and therefore not co-operating in the scheme of things.  Consequently, with glucose accumulation in her blood, Maria was facing a host of health risks like heart disease, nerve damage and eye issues.

It had come down to regular insulin injections five times a day in order to absorb the glucose and frequent monitoring of her blood sugar levels.

She has followed this regimented lifestyle for 20 odd years. But insulin is not the cure. It only helps to control the condition. She faces massive side effects like mood swings and serious complications when her glucose levels are on the rise and fall.

Working Towards a Cure

An encouraging strategy to combat diabetes by transplanting beta cells, allowing the blood to sense the sugar levels and generate insulin thereby reducing them in time, has gained momentum. Those suffering from Type 1 diabetes would gain, as the new beta cells will be able to substitute the cells that had been lost due to the disease. For patients with the Type 2 condition like Maria, transplanting beta cells could possibly increase the body’s potential to generate insulin and in turn decreasing blood sugar levels and lessening the requirement for injections.

A San Diego based organization received significant funding from CIRM to work on this prognosis. They have been working towards developing innovative methodologies to transform human embryonic stem cells into insulin-producing beta cells. With stem cells unique potential to transform into any form or tissue, the research team was looking to reproduce the precise indicators that could change a stem cell into a beta cell, rather than a neuron or muscle cell.

Success came and the research team was able to develop progenitor cells, just a single step short of creating mature beta cells. These progenitor cells were given adequate gestation period so that they could develop in the body. Under clinical conditions using animals, the tougher progenitor cells endured the transplant procedure and, on attaining maturity started producing insulin. In addition to this, the research team started with inserting the progenitor cells in a porous capsule prior to initiating the transplantation under the skin. By doing this, they were able to keep the cells out hence circumventing potential attack and denunciation by the patient’s own immune system.

An FDA approved clinical trial for Type 1 diabetes is currently underway. With continuous progression, their aim to ultimately also help those who are suffering from Type 2 diabetes as well. For Maria, this is an important breakthrough, not only for herself but also for her family.

“I have three kids, and I know they could have the same thing I have,” says Maria. “If they find a cure, for me, that’s peace of mind.”

The post Stories of Hope: A Stem Cell Therapy For Diabetes appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

Being pregnant for the first time can be a challenge when you have tons of questions to which you do not always have answers. A very common area of confusion for pregnant women is food. You probably think that expecting a baby means “eating for two”. The phrase is very misleading as health professionals these days are not recommending such a diet at all.

The Tommy’s Guide states: “An extra 200 calories – the equivalent of two small slices of bread – is all that is recommended during pregnancy and only in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy.”

Nutritionist Greer Craig says, “You want to eat what will give you the most nutritious bang for your calorie buck. You have to refocus your thoughts on where can I get the most protein and healthy fats. Quinoa is a great swap for pasta, and it also has riboflavin in it, which is really great to help curb migraines, headaches – that is a common pregnancy symptom.”

Craig re-emphasizes the importance of focussing your energy on fruits, vegetables, and foods that contain vitamins and iron.

One of the essential intakes during pregnancy is folic acid followed with a combination of vitamins that your body requires. This can be taken either through supplements or through foods that you consume.

Tommy’s Guide says: “Vitamin D is the lesser known but equally important nutrient, for the formation of healthy bones and teeth for the baby. During winter months, lack of sunshine can mean vitamin D is harder to come by, so women will be more likely to need a vitamin D supplement.”

Additionally, calcium is something you should not forget to include in your diet as it essentially focuses on the baby’s development and enhances the health of your teeth and bones. Fish with bones and dairy products are some of the common food products which are rich sources of calcium. However, while consuming dairy products, ensure that these are pasteurized.

Another key ingredient that helps your body manage stress during pregnancy through absorbing iron from fruits is Vitamin C. The most available form of natural Vitamin C can be found in oranges. However, you can also find plentiful sources of Vitamin C in tomatoes, broccoli, and even potatoes.

Pregnant women tend to get easily exhausted. To get an adequate energy boost, iron should be made a part of your daily diet. Lean meats, green vegetables, dried fruits, and nuts are high on the iron count. However, make sure you consult your doctor before eating peanuts as it may have an adverse effect on your health.

“Any vegetable is going to be a superfood powerhouse – you’re not going to go wrong. If we roast them, that gives them a little more flavor, like maybe a potato chip. You just put a little bit of sea salt and olive oil on it,” said Craig.

Still, have a sweet tooth?

“You want to think outside the box and still eat that fruit, that more nutritiously dense option. So, maybe freezing a banana and then having your own version of banana ice cream,” said Craig.

Craving for soda? Definitely not a good idea!

“Absolutely no nutrition. It’s going to wreak havoc for your metabolism, even though there’s no calories, it’s total havoc in your system. So, I say to make yourself a fun little cocktail out of fruit water. Cheers to that,” said Craig.

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Your due date is a stone’s throw away with just a few more weeks to slog. Nearing the end of your pregnancy journey, you might as well have the baby right now. At 37 weeks, your doctor has probably discussed that it’s close enough to the due date for a safe delivery. You might as well book an elective C-section, consult your partner and parents to check everyone’s availability rather than go through the last couple of weeks of the pregnancy cycle.

When inducing labor was at its peak in the last 3 decades, countless women have been told just that it was ok to deliver post completion of 37 weeks of pregnancy. However, with more scientific research coming forward those last few weeks are just as important and ‘a stone’s throw’ doesn’t always cut it.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have relooked at the definition of ‘term pregnancy.’ The last few decades have seen a tremendous rise in elective C-sections and babies being delivered pre-term and ending up in Neonatal intensive care units. Hence, there is definitely a reason to take those last few weeks extremely seriously. Here’s how American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have categorized ‘Term Pregnancy’:

• Early Term: Between 37 weeks 0 days and 38 weeks 6 days
• Full Term: Between 39 weeks 0 days and 40 weeks 6 days
• Late Term: Between 41 weeks 0 days and 41 weeks 6 days
• Poster: Between 42 weeks 0 days and beyond[1]

Unnecessary induced labor for the sake of convenience is now slowly taking a back seat for the simple reason that it can be potentially dangerous for both the mother and the baby. Induced labor or C-section should only be a means to tackle if complications arise in the pregnancy. However, if the medical reason is not compelling enough and the healthcare provider in question feels that the mother will be able to carry the baby to term, then that is the best route to take where both the mother and the child will fare better.

‘Overdue’ is also one of the terms that these guidelines have elaborated upon. According to them, going past the assigned due date by a week or two does not qualify the pregnancy as ‘over due’. The doctors are primarily concerned about the baby growing too big for the mother’s pelvis or the placenta growing old to sustain the baby. While these are valid areas of concerns, it happens very rarely.

Prior to the 80’s frenzy for C-sections and induced labor, women delivered babies quiet safely a week or two post their due dates. Agreed that those extra weeks will be uneasy and annoying, but that is no reason for having your baby before it’s ready to make its appearance into this world.

The post Giving Birth Before Your Due Date: Do All 40 Weeks Matter? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

“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.

The post Cord Blood Banking – Why I Changed My Mind? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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 the science of stem cells took off in the 1970s when doctors realized that the stem cells found in the blood inside an umbilical cord could offer a much more secure substitute to bone marrow transplants that may find its way in the utilization of treating conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia. This is so since cord blood is power packed with multipotent, self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are the forerunners to blood cells.

The process of extracting this cord blood immediately after birth and storing it in state-of-art laboratories in India and overseas for future use is now a convenient and affordable reality for many Indians, thanks to health companies like Cordlife India. In fact, Cordlife is the only private Cord Blood Bank in India to offer automated cord blood processing with Sepax2, a versatile patented Swiss technology. This advanced technology enables easy handling and safety of processing and aids in highly efficient and consistent cell recoveries.

Once the umbilical cord has been clamped from the newborn, the cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord vein attached to the placenta. Cord Blood extraction is not only a painless process for both mother and baby unlike bone marrow extraction, but there is a 60% higher chance of matching cord blood unit in the family vis-a-vis bone marrow. Cord Blood cells are mature, flexible and have more usage advantages than stem cells extracted from the bone marrow or umbilical blood.

After cord blood is extracted, Stem Cell Banks preserve the stem cells via Cryopreservation. Under various such methods of Cryopreservation, any damage to the stem cells caused by any enzymatic or chemical activities is prevented by cooling to very low temperatures, without further damage being triggered by the formation of ice during freezing.

Stored Cord Blood can now be available between days or weeks of processing for treatment. There is a low risk of complications when cord blood is applied for stem cell transplants and therapy since they have the ability to regenerate in the desired way.

Globally, an estimated 35,000 transplants have taken place where cord blood stem have been utilized to treat over eighty life-threatening ailments, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, bone marrow failures, genetic disorders, blood disorders and immune disorders. Several medical professionals are also researching cord blood as a potential cure for conditions that cannot be remedied presently. Umbilical Cord Blood banking is no more an option, but a necessity to secure a healthy future for the entire family.

For more details about – Why Banking Umbilical Cord Blood should be on your “To Do” List? – visit https://www.cordlifeindia.com

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The beginning of my Dad journey…

It was just past noon and whilst my lovely wife was in the bathroom, I was furiously pacing outside the door. The bathroom door opened and there she was with the biggest smile on her face and tears rolling down her rose-blushed cheeks. She was ecstatic. She waved the test and I saw that it was positive. My first thought was of pure joy and relief. I remember telling her, “can you really believe it?”, “Are you happy?”, “Does it really say that you are pregnant?” We stood in the doorway for god knows how long, hugging and crying before finally calming down.

The “moment you find out” is quite unique and it was finally sinking in. It reminds me of that singular moment in life when you hold your breath and then heave those pleasurable gasps after a chest-achingly long time. A combination of being euphoric on finding out as well as the sweet relief of the long-endured fight of trying to, engulfed us all around.

We’d been trying to get pregnant for quite some time and our gynaecologist had told us that it wasn’t going to be an easy path for us. This challenging personal experience for us was a mirror of what was happening with many of our friends and some relatives too. The entire experience of winning the battle against childlessness seemed just imbalanced. The wrongness is amplified by the sense that the act of getting pregnant should be uncomplicated and the most enjoyable thing in the world to do.

I’ve seen the tightly-managed disappointment and setback turn out to be merely the opening act for a massive emotional ocean of antagonism, hopelessness, grief, resentment, embarrassment and remorse at being envious or not interested in others’ swift stork deliveries.

But all that is in the past.

Now that it has actually happened to us, it is such an unreal feeling; something that I’ve never lived through before and doubt I ever will again. Marriage is colossal, buying a house is massive, but making a human… is mammoth. I could not wait to scream it out of the rooftop.

I started visualising what a fantastic dad I was going to be; not that I’ve had any practice before. I would need to change a million things about myself, my lifestyle, to be able to be that great dad; but I am prepared to make all those changes. No more reckless drinking and takeout every night, no more sleeping until 8:30am on workdays.

Right now, I am just excited beyond my wildest dreams and maybe a little frightened too. But today, I only want to share this joy and pride with my beautiful wife. I have no doubt that she is feeling the same thrill. After all, we did this together!

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You have probably heard this statement several times from many exasperated pregnant women: “I’m fine! I’m pregnant, not sick!” It can get really irritating when people treat you differently because of your pregnancy, making you feel like a fragile object that can break apart any moment. Your pregnancy is progressing well, your doctor is pleased with your health and you are continuing to live your life as normally as possible.

But you are often faced with many niggling doubts when you head to work every morning. Could all those people telling you to ‘Take it easy’ be wrong? Do you really need to take some extra precautions, apart from taking your vitamins and eating well? Should you work during your pregnancy?

Work and Pregnancy

There is a curious correlation between working and pregnancy – on the one hand, doctors advise that you should be active as your baby grows, but on the other hand, you are cautioned to be careful and not overdo it. So how much work is too much?

It must be established at the outset that women who have regular pregnancies with no health complications (either with themselves or the baby) can continue working right until the time that they must give birth.[1] However, women with high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, signs of developing preeclampsia, asthma and other health problems must get a clearance from their doctor if they wish to continue working during the pregnancy.

The intensity of your work and pregnancy are related. If you have a sedentary job at your workplace, you can probably get by with your regular routine. However, if your work involves frequent periods of travel, hard physical labour and contact with chemicals and other hazardous materials, you might consider taking a break till your baby is born. This way, you will minimise any risk to yourself and your baby.

* You might be nauseous in the early weeks of your pregnancy. If you are constantly on the verge of vomiting owing to certain smells and food at the office, you can take a break and resume work when your morning sickness is gone. If it is not possible for you to quit working at this stage, keep emergency medication and soothing foods handy to control your urge to vomit.[2]

* It is fine to climb up stairs and even lift moderately heavy things if your pregnancy is going well and you are healthy. However, avoid lifting heavy items once you are in your second trimester, and also climbing up and down stairs more than necessary. Avoid stooping to pick up heavy objects off the floor at all costs.

* If your workplace has a dress code, you must ditch it to wear comfortable clothing that does not constrict your belly.

* Your doctor might advise bed rest if the foetus is in distress. Please stop working at this point.

[1] http://sogc.org/publications/working-during-pregnancy/

[2] http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20047441

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Do not be alarmed by the small stump left over after cutting the umbilical cord. It will be gone in a few days’ time.

When you hold your lovely little infant in your arms for the first time, nothing can prepare you for the rush of love you feel for your baby. Your child’s beautiful face, perfect fingers and toes, his cute and chubby arms…your baby is just flawless. Then your eyes travel down to a little stump of what looks like pale flesh hanging off his navel, and you wince.

You quickly realise that this stump is actually the part of the umbilical cord that was cut after delivery. It is a mass of soft tissue that comprises the cord; this umbilical cord provided nutrition to your baby and helped discharge his waste while you were carrying him in your womb. Once your child was born, the doctor snipped off the umbilical cord and told you that a stump of it would remain attached to your baby’s body and fall off in about two weeks.

From an initial pale colour and slight moistness, the stump soon becomes drier and darker in colour. It may become brown or even black and become progressively shrivelled.[1] This is normal – the stump is now deprived of blood and nutrition, and it is not needed anymore since your baby derives nutrition directly from breastfeeding. Within two weeks, the stump will fall off naturally. This indicates that the navel has healed.

Some important points to note in umbilical cord care are:

* The stump must be kept dry and clean at all times. Avoid applying any creams or even water on the area. Let it dry and fall off on its own.

* Give your baby sponge baths till the stump falls off, avoid bathtubs or bucket baths till then. Do not let the sponge touch the stump or the surrounding area. Separately clean the skin around the stump with a wet cotton swab and gently wipe with a soft cloth.

* Do not put your baby’s diaper over the stump; it might hurt the baby and cause an infection.

* If you notice bleeding from the stump or a sticky, smelly discharge, inform your doctor at once. These are signs of infection.

* However, the navel might be slightly wet after the stump has fallen off. Leave it alone and do not wipe off. The area will dry up on its own in a week’s time. Alert your doctor if it does not.

The post How to Care For Your Baby’s Umbilical ‘Stump’ appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.