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Stem Cells
Why it's time the consider cord blood banking?
Stem cells from the umbilical cord blood are known to
treat over 70 diseases, and have been used in over
8,000 transplants worldwide. In addition to the
value of these stem cells today, research is ongoing
for a number of potential medical miracles in the
future. But making the decision to save your baby's
cord blood takes thoughtful consideration. Once
you've learned all the facts, you won't trust anyone
else but The Jewish Cord Blood Bank to preserve this
potential medical miracle.
Stem cells: nature's miracle. Your own family
biological insurance policy!
Your baby's cord blood is rich in stem cells, which
are special cells normally found in our bone marrow.
Stem cells are the master cells responsible for
producing all of the mature cells in our blood and
immune system. Stem cells form the white cells that fight
infection, the red cells that carry oxygen, the
platelets that promote clotting and the cells of our
immune systems.
Stem cell treatments and transplants have already
been used for such wide-ranging diseases and
conditions as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia,
sickle cell disease, severe anemia's and severe
combined immunodeficiency. And experimentation for
expanded uses of stem cells holds great promise.
Current research is being conducted on the use of
stem cells for the treatment of cardiac and
neurological diseases, to name a few.
As scientists discovered that the cord is a rich
source of stem cells, umbilical cord blood became a
viable substitute to bone marrow in thousands of
successful transplants.
What makes cord blood more usable than bone marrow?
First, cord blood stem cells are easily extracted,
resulting in no risk or pain for the mother or baby.
Alternatively, bone marrow collection is an invasive
procedure and requires general anesthesia with its
inherent risks. Also, cord blood stem cells have a
high rate of engraftment, are more tolerant of HLA
mismatches, result in a reduced rate of
graft-versus-host disease and are rarely
contaminated with latent viruses—which simply mean
that the body often accepts cord blood stem cells
better than those from bone marrow. Plus, banked
cord blood is readily accessible, allowing treatment
to begin earlier if required, with no time wasted in
the search and matching process required for
publicly banked stem cells.
What are the other benefits to banking my newborn’s
cord blood?
Often, matched stem cells, which are necessary for
transplant, are difficult to obtain due to strict
matching requirements. But cells taken from your
newborn are a perfect match for your baby for his or
her lifetime. Additionally, your child’s cord blood
stem cells have at least a one-in-four chance of
matching a sibling.
And what’s more, cord blood may have uses in the
future well beyond stem cell transplants. New
medical technology may utilize stem cells to rebuild
cardiac tissue, repair damage due to stroke or
spinal cord injuries and reverse the effects of such
diseases as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's. While
the research is in its early stages, the
possibilities are extremely promising. So by banking
your child's stem cells now, you increase your
family access to any of these technologies in the
future. |
