Although it is surprising, it is a proven fact that parents encourage the habit of crying in infants by attending to them when they “cry”. Being the most intelligent species on earth, human babies take no time to understand that they are being attended to when they cry out for any reason. Parents try to answer every call, and their attempts would be always positive to satisfy the baby with a “Yes”. However, it is essentially not possible for all parents under the sky to satisfy the baby every time. No matter how resourceful the parents are, there are certain phases where they have to restrict their children with a “no” for the best interest of their child.

It may be easier for a toddler to understand a restriction from the parents but how does an infant understand a ‘no’ in the initial days. Like every other milestone, the time to understand a refusal from the parents is also unique for every infant. It should be somewhere in between six months to eighteen months. Infants discover it all by themselves or the parents have to teach it to their wards slowly. When the baby does something unacceptable, it is necessary to channelize the kid’s energy to some other element for diversion. If required, quietly tell her ‘no’. Handover something different to them and they are sure to forget the old one in the excitement of the new toy or thing. Or keep them away from the element to avoid them getting in touch with the same thing.

Undoubtedly, there are many incidents where the parents may have to restrict a child and if you feel that the ‘no’ is being used more than often, you can try being creative by using different words to explain the kids why it is a no-no. If the kid wants to enter a dark room, it is essential to explain to them that they may fall, or hit something, due to dark environment of the room. It is not suggested by child psychologists to threaten kids by saying that there is a devil in the dark room to avoid them from going in there.  Rather, it is important to make them understand that the room is still the same even in the darkness; however, darkness creates the opportunity for anyone to unknowingly hurt themselves. Saying ‘no’ with a stern voice when they attempt to go the wrong route may help alerting the child. To communicate better, use words such as hot, cold, spicy, etc. in a stern voice to make them understand the impending cause of danger.

Approaching hot irons or ovens, getting into cold water tubs, attempting to eat peppers or chilies, fingering electrical sockets, swallowing poisonous repellents, playing with fragile items, etc. are all a cause of concern and are strictly on the range of a ‘no’. It is on the parent’s part to keep the home as child safe as possible rather than having to say a ‘no’ constantly. The lesser the ‘no’s’ the better the positivity in the child and higher the spirits are. Although ‘no’ is a negative word, try to inculcate this concept in the child’s mind with more positivity.

The post When Will Your Baby Understand a “No”? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

Doctors often recommend cord blood banking to expectant parents. And they have a number of reasons for doing so. First of all, if you have any family history of diseases, cord blood can offer you a safer future. Secondly, umbilical cord blood is the source of newborn stem cells, which are unique in many ways from the other type of stem cells. Apart from being able to differentiate into different types of cells, they have a lower risk of viral contamination and high proliferation ability. Moreover, once you store your child’s umbilical cord blood, the stem cells will be readily available to you in the future, whenever you may need them. There will be no dependency on finding a matched donor for the transplant.

If you are still thinking, here are some facts that will help you make an informed decision:

Cord blood can cure more than 80+ diseases and disorders:

Cord blood has opened a new getaway in personalized medicine. So far, cord blood stem cells have cured 80+ diseases including different types of cancer. And more than 35000 patients have recovered from their diseases with the help of cord blood stem cell transplant. Apart from various types of cancer, these stem cells can cure blood disorders, immune disorders and metabolic disorders.
Cord blood has the ability to regenerate and rebuild: It’s believed that cord blood stem cell therapy is a regenerative medicine, which is relatively new but has tremendous potential to repair damaged tissues and cells. For this reason, doctors and researchers consider this therapy as the next big thing in the future of medical science. Among all the sources of stem cells, umbilical cord blood is the richest source and has all the factors that are needed for a successful transplant.

Cord blood stem cells are ageless and are easily available once you store them:

Once these stem cells are preserved, processed and stored, they permanently retain their agelessness. Unlike other stem cells, umbilical cord blood stem cells are newborn, so they are less likely to attack the immune system of the patients. These stem cells remain in the condition for several years, so if you or any of your family members need them for any transplant, they will be instantly available. And you will not have to wait for an unrelated matching donor.

Several clinical trials are underway to find cure to new diseases:

Apart from those 80 diseases, mentioned earlier, several clinical studies are going on to see how impactful these stem cells are in treating diseases like hearing loss, heart conditions, Parkinson’s disease, autism, burn injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, lung problems, liver problems, bone injury, spinal cord injuries etc. Several trials have shown successful results already and it’s not a distant dream that scientists will be able to treat these diseases and disorders with umbilical stem cells.

So if you invest in storing your newborn’s umbilical cord blood now, it would not only save your child from future diseases, but also secure your family’s future and ensure your peace of mind. Decide wisely.

Sources:
https://www.babycenter.com/0_cord-blood-banking-what-it-is-why-consider-it_1362261.bc
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/banking-your-babys-cord-blood

The post Benefits of storing your baby’s cord blood appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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.

The post Preventing Birth Defects: Steps to Take Before and During Pregnancy appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

What if we told you that you could view transparent human cells? The Allen Institute for Cell Science researchers have invented a new data imaging technique in order to see the inside of stem cells. The images are not animation of cells, rather based on the insights derived from high quality photomicrographs with 6,000 induced pluripotent stem cells or IPS cells. All these stem cells are collected from human skin. The team fondly calls the technology as Allen Cell Explorer.

The process involved the IPS cells undergoing a gene editing, so the fluorescent markers could be attached to form 11 types of different structures. The idea was to know the inner machinery of our cell system. Followed by this, the researchers applied a deep analyzing computational method to document the entire structure of each stem cell, as viewed from the 3D maps.

Rick Horwitz, The executive director of the Allen Institute for Cell Science said, “This is the first time researchers have used deep learning to try and understand the elusive question of how actual cells are organized. The cartoons we rely on in textbooks, which are based on an artist’s interpretation of data from a relatively small number of cells, will eventually be replaced by data-driven models of this kind from very large numbers of cells.”Molly Maleckar, the director of modeling shared the complexity of this system, as she mentioned, “We’re actually having brainstorming sessions to see what else can we do with this data.”

The tool will prove a path breaking discovery in the history of medical science, as predicted by the scientists, as they can now see the changes the cells go through after receiving various drugs. Susanne Rafelski, the director of assay development said, “The idea that we can build a cell, and think of the cell as a whole, and see how that cell changes as it grows, divides, differentiates or gets sick – to me, it’s really a new frontier in thinking about cells and the cellular basis of disease.”

In other words, cell functions like mitochondria, microtubules and cell-to-cell junctions are the challenges that scientists wanted to address with this invention. Maleckar remarked, “There’s this assumption outside the world of cell biology that people must know where everything is. … That’s actually not true.”

The tool is often compared to the city maps that show all the highways, power plants, toll booths inside a city. Apart from the Allen Cell Explorer, there is a 3D Cell viewer that highlights 3D visualization of stem cells. There is also a cell catalog that shows all the required information about the gene-edited stem cell lines, offered by the institute. Any researcher can order the tools and the cell lines through a non-profit AddGene repository, run by the Allen Institute for Cell Science.

The team aims at a concrete visualization of stem cells as they are modified into different types of cells. Rafelski said, “It’s astounding that we get to do this, that we get to do science and then share science as beautifully as possible”, while Maleckar added, “I would absolutely agree. Science altruism: It really works.”

The post Using Stem Cells To Build Live 3D Maps Of Our Cells appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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 

The post Autism Study Results with Cord Blood Stem Cells appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

What is autism? What makes autistic people different from others? What causes autism? There are hundreds of questions in people’s mind when it comes to this condition. What is it actually?

Autism is a mental condition that remains present from the early childhood days and lasts for a lifetime. It’s characterized by minor to major difficulties in social interaction and framing language abstract concepts. And the critical part is, it’s incurable. However, a new study shows that stem cell therapy may show great improvement in children with autism.

It’s the story of Gracie Gregory, one of the 25 autistic children who participated in the study at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina involving stem cells to tone down the issues associated with autism. The idea behind the research was to find out if a transfusion of the self-umbilical cord blood with the rare stem cells can cure autism or at least reduce the severity.

Gracie was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. When Gracie’s mother first came to know about the research, she immediately enrolled her without knowing what to expect and what not to expect. Such was the difficulty; they were facing with their autistic child. There was a time when Gracie’s sister, Ryleigh was afraid of her because of her unmanageable behavior like hitting and kicking. But now that very Ryleigh thinks Gracie is “very sweet and kind.” And it only became possible after the stem cell therapy.

Gracie was on the mild to moderate scale of autism. During the trial, Gracie, then 5, started with the same symptoms like kicking, spitting, screaming and even hitting her therapists. It was almost impossible to make her sit at one place.

The results were beyond what Gracie’s parents were expecting! Her parents recollects how difficult their life was back then when managing her would take 75% of their daily life and now after the therapy she only consumes 10% of their daily time. When asked about rating her improvement on a scale of 1 to 10, her parents proudly rated 8/9.

She now attends regular school, plays with her sister, and enjoys life to the fullest, something that her parent would never have thought of.

According to her father, “We will say we don’t think it’s cured her. You still see some of the small idiosyncrasies that she does have. But again, I think it’s supercharged her learning curve. It’s pushed her to do things she normally wouldn’t do.” Her mother added, “She got better, and we’re just thankful for that — whether it be the stem cells or not. We’re just thankful for what changes have happened”.

Two thirds of the children, involved in the study showed great improvement. This is the results of the first phase of the study and a broader second level trail is on its way, which promises a long-term treatment for autistic children.

Skeptics are still saying that no matter what autism cannot be cured and there are quite a few unanswered questions that need to be addressed before going gaga over it. Even researchers at Duke acknowledge that the study is at a very early stage and still there is a long way to go. But for families like Gregorys, it’s a life-changing experience.

The post Stories of Hope – Cord Blood Stem Cells Offer Hope For Autism appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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.

The post Fixing Mutation That Causes Muscular Dystrophy appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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.

The post Cellular Traffic Jam Is The Culprit Behind Huntington’s Disease appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

The first few months of parenthood, especially for first time parents is a learning experience. Sharing a home and room with their baby is a process that new parents slowly have to adapt to. Additionally, normal workload like doing laundry, reading books, doctor visits also multiplies. Your baby in the midst of this lifestyle transformation also seeks constant attention. Night-times are occupied with multiple feedings and mornings start very early indeed.

So a common question that finds its way forward is, how couples adjust to these new demands whilst still trying to find time to nurture their personal romantic bond with a baby around?

Here are some tips to rekindle that romantic light into the relationship.

Make a date and stick to it

You were probably on tremendously demanding schedules prior to the baby’s arrival. With the new addition to the family, most couples tend to take turns towards napping, cleaning and looking after the little one. This basically implies that any personal bonding time is sacrificed to meet the needs of your baby.

Hence, you need to actively work towards spending some quality time with your partner. This positive habit will have great paybacks for you, your partner and your child. Begin with a straightforward coffee date at a local café, not far from home, on weekends when you can find a grandparent, a close relative or a nanny to look after your little one. Your date can progress into dinner or a movie in due course of time, when you’re able to leave your child for a couple of hours. If there’s no one to fill in for you at home, plan a special dinner at home once a week. Take turns to cook and set a beautiful table. The thought is to make private time with your partner a consistent occasion, one that is prioritized and doesn’t get bumped aside.

Show your affection

Do you remember those meaningless phones calls to each other, just to say, “hi?” Just because you have a baby in the picture, does not mean any of these previous loving touches in the relationship has to stop.

Why not do something unexpected and loving for your partner? Leave a love note on the bathroom mirror or hide a favourite treat in her handbag. Whilst these small things may not need a lot of time, it definitely shows your partner that you still love and care.

Communication is key

“One thing that needs to be stressed here is the importance of working on your relationship. Physical intimacy is very important, but an emotional connection is just as important. It takes work to keep your relationship together before the baby arrives, but it takes even more work after the baby arrives. I think people forget that. As mothers, it’s easy for us to get wrapped up in all things having to do with the new baby. It’s also easy for your partner (especially if he’s not had any experience in this area) to be disillusioned about pregnancy and the postpartum stages. Communication is key.”

Ensuring that your romance does not fade away with the arrival of your little one is not impossible. After all, where do you think the next one is going to come from?

The post Keeping the Romance Alive After the Baby Arrives appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

As an expectant dad, I sometimes feel left out of the pregnancy experience. My wife, on the other hand, as the mum to be, is getting all the focus and attention. So, I was looking for a way to reconnect with the entire pregnancy journey. I was thrilled when our gynecologist prescribed the first sonogram in the pregnancy.

I’ve heard that fathers who are part of the first sonogram are able to bond with the unborn baby easily. Up until now, I had created an image of my baby in my mind. This would mean that I actually get to see my child for the very first time. Hear the heartbeat.

On the appointed day, I drove my wife to the local diagnostic clinic. We waited for our turn for about 20 odd minutes or so. My wife was made to lie down. I made double sure that she was comfortable. The technician arrived and exchanged a few pleasantries with the both of us. I don’t even know what my replies were. All I could think about was my baby and what he or she was going to look like.

The very first ultrasound image of my unborn child is a powerful moment for expectant fathers and I totally bear witness to that. I was staring at the monitor and there my baby was. Possibly not any bigger than the size of a pea. I cried like a baby when I first heard the heartbeat. I couldn’t believe this was real. I couldn’t believe my wife was carrying around another human life inside of her. I couldn’t believe I was going to be a dad.

This was one of the key moments for me as an expectant father that established the reality of the coming child. It also reassured me that everything in the pregnancy was going well.

One of my friends who’d recently had a baby, had once told me about how he had felt seeing that first ultrasound of his baby. “My heart started beating faster just to hear a life — boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. It just felt like — the feeling’s indescribable, I was just blown away, like my eyes filled up but it’s like I won’t cry, I just was so happy to hear it…. The heartbeat is like letting me know it’s on the way, get ready.”

Being a responsible parent meant that I needed to make sure that I have a steady job because my child’s eating depended on me. If I was going to be out of a job that would mean my child would go hungry and I’d rather my child ate before I did. While some may say that these are just drastic, random thoughts, but I did think of these things. Most dads have plans and dreams that extend beyond the immediate future of the baby and across the child’s lifespan.

As I drove home with my wife, I got some time to reflect on the role that I will be playing in my baby’s life. This was a key step in preparing towards serious parenthood.

After all, for dads, there’s nothing greater than “Seeing is believing!”

The post Dad Diary: The Sonogram Experience appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

Ever wondered if there is a relationship between your umbilical cord and the belly button? Of course, there is! When you have your little one inside your womb, it needs a life-support system to survive the pregnancy gestation period. This support is comprised of the placenta, the umbilical cord and the amniotic sac filled with amniotic fluid.

“The baby’s life hangs by a cord”, as said by Ian Donald, aptly tells the importance of the umbilical cord.

The umbilical cord plays the essential role of attaching your baby to the placenta and keeps feeding your baby. During delivery, the placenta is expelled from your uterus through a process known as the after-birth. The umbilical cord, once your baby is delivered is clamped and cut. The remaining section of the cord heals and later becomes the baby’s belly button.

Nevertheless, most are aware of these common facts. But there are some really fun insights that you probably never thought about:

Umbilical Cords Vary in Length

The lengths of the umbilical cords of babies are variable. However, there is no concrete evidence to ascertain why the length varies at all. Within the full gestation period of 28 weeks, the cord may reach its full length which usually is between 45-60 centimeters in length. In a small percentage of pregnancies, the cord is less than 45 centimeters in length and investigative studies have shown that placenta retention and C-section is usually higher in such instances.

Tangles, Knots, and Loops

Babies in the womb are constantly moving around. A common game that they indulge in is playing ‘loop the loop’ with the cord. If the baby is healthy and the cord remains intact, it does not really pose any risk to the baby. Approximately 35% of the babies born have the umbilical cord wrapped around their necks and 1% of them have the cord in a true knot.

It Stops Working When Needed

In the womb, the umbilical cord remains in a temperature controlled environment. Post the baby’s birth, the cord is exposed to cooler air and the ‘Wharton’s Jelly’ within it starts to harden and shrink. Natural clamping occurs that squeezes and closes the blood vessels inside the cord. Depending on the temperature outside of the mother’s body, natural clamping takes approximately between 3 and 20 minutes.

The Umbilical Cord Tissue is Full of Potential

Most of us have heard about cord blood stem cells but the new research that has everyone’s attention is on umbilical cord tissue. Many ongoing clinical trials have brought significant evidence forward that the cord blood tissue also contains stem cells that possess the potential to multiply and transform into various cell types, like cartilage, bone, fat, etc. This essentially means that the cord tissue with more stem cells can potentially be used in treating more conditions and disorders.

As Nancy Reagan rightfully said, “Now science has presented us with a hope called stem cell research, which may provide our scientists with many answers that have for so long been beyond our grasp.” 

The post 4 Interesting Facts on Umbilical Cords 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.

The post Is It Necessary To Store Cord Blood and Tissue For Each Child? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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

The post The Benefits Of Cells From Umbilical Cord Tissue appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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!

The post DAD DIARY: Yahoo…. I’m Going To Be a Dad! appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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

The post Can I Work When I Am Pregnant? appeared first on Stem Cell Banking Guide and Pregnancy Tips For New Parents.

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.