Cord Blood Storage

Though most infants are born healthy and grow up without any incidence of serious disease, parents are aware that at any time serious illness can strike their child, compromising his future.

As a form of therapy for various life-threatening diseases, bone marrow transplantation has been widely used. In this process, family members are tested to find a suitable match for the patient. However, there is only a one in four chance that a match will be found. A national search typically ensues to find a match through registry with the National Marrow Donor Program, which has yielded a 30 percent match rate, and in some minority groups, the number of matches are even fewer. This is discouraging news for parents. Add to that the lengthy wait times and the mounting medical expenses, and it can be very disheartening for the family of a sick child.

Because of these problems with bone marrow transplantation, researchers began looking into alternative sources for transplants.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in your baby's umbilical cord after the cord has been cut, and it is usually thrown away. Like bone marrow, cord blood is a rich source of stem cells, which are the building blocks of blood and the immune system. They differentiate, or reproduce, into other cells: red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body; white blood cells, which fight infections; and platelets, which are necessary for clotting.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.