What Is Cord Blood?

Cord blood is blood that remains inside the umbilical cord and the placenta after child birth. Cord Blood has been found to be very rich in stem cells. Stem cells are often referred to as the "building blocks" of the body's immune system. Usually, cord blood is discarded as medical waste, but through extensive medical research, it has become an effective treatment for many genetic diseases.

Why Use Stem Cells From Cord Blood?

Stem cells can be found throughout the human body. Their main function is to produce red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Sources include: peripheral blood, bone marrow, and umbilical cord blood. They are also found in embryos, but because of political issues, these cells cannot be used. The cells found in cord blood are young in maturity, which means they are more effective in creating blood cells. Also, with the use of stem cells, an exact match in the donor is not necessary. This makes it very likely that siblings will be a suitable donor. In most cases, there is less risk of graft vs. host disease(GVHD), which is the rejection of the transplanted cells.

Diseases Treated With Cord Blood Stem Cells

Currently, cord blood can be used to treat over 50 diseases. The stem cells are transplanted in patients who have low cell counts due to chemotherapy treatment for cancer or other blood related diseases. Also, there is extensive research being done into treating diseases such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, liver disease, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.