Cord blood is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta after birth, and contains rare stem cells that have many potential medical applications. Click here to learn more about cord blood and how it can help to protect the future health of your family.

Stem cells are ‘master’ cells from which all other cells, tissues, and organs in the body are derived. Although present in large quantities in the developing fetus, stem cells begin to diminish soon after birth. There are almost no circulating stem cells in adult blood. Cord blood is the only non-invasive method of collecting early stage fetal and embryonic stem cells from an individual.

Scientists have harnessed the ability of stem cells to turn into any other cell type in the body to replace damaged or missing cells, an approach that is collectively referred to as “cell therapy”. To date, over 80 life-threatening diseases, including cancers and genetic disorders have been treated with stem cells, with many additional diseases being researched. Learn more about current stem cell applications and how they can help your child in the future.

Stem cells are early stage cells which have the capability of differentiating into many different cell types. Stem cells have been used in the treatment of numerous diseases, including cancers and genetic disorders. Find out more about current treatment options using stem cells (here) and how they are being explored in clinical trials for future applications (here).

Cord blood stem cells from your baby will be a perfect match to him/her when it is needed. Harvesting of cord blood is safer and more efficient than harvesting bone marrow from a donor. Once banked, it will become readily available whenever needed, with little or no chance of rejection. Furthermore, cord blood stem cells are not only a perfect match to your baby, but it has an increased probability of a match for the baby’s siblings and can potentially be used for the baby’s parents or grandparents.

At the moment, stem cells are used in the treatment of over 50 cancers, immune disorders, and genetic disorders. As technology progresses, it is likely that the field of stem cells therapy will become more advanced, and the future uses of stem cells can be limitless. Research in stem cell therapy include usage for treatment of heart diseases, spinal cord damage, stroke, diabetes, and muscular dystrophy.

Graft versus Host Disease is a disease which can occur after a bone marrow transplant. By banking a child’s cord blood, this disease is prevented because the cord blood is a perfect match to your child and is not donated from a different individual. This will increase the survival rate of the recipient and ensure a greater chance that the transplant will be successful.

Your child’s cord blood stem cells are only present during birth. By choosing to save your child’s cord blood stem cells, you will have the peace of mind that these precious cells are preserved and readily available in the event that your child or another family member needs them in the future. If the cord blood stem cells are not banked, these precious cells will be discarded after birth. By banking your child’s cord blood, you will be able to take advantege of the medical treatments that are currently available using stem cells as well as emerging stem cells treatments that will become available in the future.

Cord blood is collected by your physician from the umbilical cord and placenta immediately after the birth of your child.

After your child is born, the physician will cut the umbilical cord. Your physician will collect the cord blood from the umbilical cord and placenta using special blood bags. The blood bags and all necessary supplies for proper cord blood collection is provided in Healthcord’s Cord Blood Collection Kit. After the cord blood is collected, your physician will package it in the Healthcord Cord Blood Kit for delivery to Healthcord for processing and banking.

HLA matching is used to ensure that there is a match between a donor and recipient to prevent the chance of rejection of the donated cells. If you choose to bank your child’s cord blood, you will eliminate the possibility that the donated stem cells are not HLA matched to your child. Stem cells from your child will always be a perfect match to you child. By banking your child’s cord blood, your child’s own stem cells will be ready for use at all times during the lifetime of your child.

There is a high probability that your child’s cord blood stem cells can be used for siblings and other family members. Your child’s cord blood stem cells will be a perfect match to your child. However, it may also be very useful for other members of your family. There is a 25% chance that your child’s cord blood can be used for one of his/her siblings, and there is also a high chance that your child’s cord blood stem cells can be used for parents or grandparents.

Cord blood is intended to be used for the donor child and in some cases, the sibling of the child. While the odds of a tissue type match to a grandparent, uncle, aunt, cousin, or any other second degree relative is greater than a random match in the population, the probability is still low. Therefore it is not advisable to store cord blood for that reason alone.

There is always a chance that a child or other family member may develop an illness or cancer which will require stem cell therapy. Banking a child’s cord blood is a preventative measure for peace of mind and security. Once your child’s precious cord blood stem cells are banked, they are safe, they are a perfect match to your child, and they are ready for immediate use upon request in the event that the stem cells are ever required.

Your child’s cord blood is reserved for your family’s use, and you have full control over its usage while your child is a minor. Once your child reaches the age of majority, the stem cells belong to your child, and you child will have full control over the use and storage of the stem cells.

In the event that your child ever requires stem cells, it is often difficult or even impossible to find a perfect match from a bone marrow donor or the umbilical cord blood from another donor. Your child’s own stem cells are a perfect match to your child with no chance of rejection. By banking your child’s cord blood, you are ensuring that your child will have a supply of his/her own stem cells which are a perfect match to himself/herself which can be used for transplantation and therapy without fear of rejection or the inability to find a matching donor in time to treat the disease.