We know that all parents want their baby to grow into a healthy child and live a long, healthy life. One of the best ways to ensure that happens is with cord blood banking. Preserving your newborn’s cord blood and tissue can prove invaluable to your baby’s health.
The umbilical cord contains blood and tissues rich in stem cells, particularly hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). HSCs help with the blood and immune system development processes. HSCs can even help your child in adulthood as these stem cells help maintain the health of blood and the immune system.
Cord stem cells are the “raw materials” found in the umbilical cord. They are cells that generate other cells with specialized functions. Under certain conditions, these cells can divide, creating “daughter cells.”
The daughter cells can turn into other types of cells. They help regenerate damaged cells and restore damaged/dead cells with healthy cells.
Experts in regenerative medicine have studied these cells for decades, evaluating how they can stimulate the body to repair itself and heal. Experts in stem cell research believe that stem cells can help treat various conditions in children, including autism, cerebral palsy, non-genetic diseases, neuroblastoma, and other cancers.
Cord blood banking is also known as stem cell preservation or banking.
Once your baby is born, your healthcare team can collect and store the cord blood and tissues from the umbilical cord. Collection can happen even if you’ve experienced delayed cord clamping.
The blood is sent to the bank, where it undergoes a process to extract the stem cells from the blood. Then, the stem cells are cryogenically frozen and stored for future use.
After the birth of your baby, the umbilical cord is clamped and then cut. Using a collection kit, your OB/GYN will insert a needle into the cord, which allows the blood to drain out of the cord and into a collection bag.
Rest assured, collecting the blood and tissue from the umbilical cord is safe and painless. It will not interfere with your desired birth plan, labor, or the time you spend bonding with your baby post-delivery.
One of the main benefits is the peace of mind you’ll get from knowing that you have a resource available that can potentially save your child’s life if they develop certain illnesses or diseases. To date, cord blood has been effectively used in the treatment of dozens of conditions, including:
Another benefit is that cord blood banking is a safe, easy, non-invasive, pain-free way to extract stem cells. A common option is to remove stem cells from bone marrow, but this procedure is invasive and often painful.
The Plano Women’s Healthcare team understands what it’s like to worry about a child’s health. We offer multiple obstetrics services, including comprehensive prenatal care, non-invasive testing, carrier screening, preconception counseling, and cord blood banking. We will do all we can to serve the needs of your growing family while helping you and your baby stay healthy.
To learn more about family banks that serve your community, their accreditation standards, and their location, visit the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation.