1.1 Are cord blood stem cells different than other stem cells?
When compared to adult stem cells, cord blood stem cells are biologically unique and are advantageous due to their higher rates of proliferation, immunological immaturity, and reduced exposure to viruses and aging. In comparison to embryonic stem cells, cord blood cells are proven safe in the human body and have been used effectively for decades in medical treatment.
1.2 How is cord blood used in medical treatments?
Cord blood stem cells may be used in two areas of disease and injury treatment: transplant medicine and regenerative medicine.
Cord blood stem cells may be used to treat nearly 80 serious diseases. First found in bone marrow, stem cells have been used for decades in lifesaving treatments for diseases including leukaemia, other cancers, and blood disorders. In transplant medicine, a patient generally will undergo chemotherapy and then receive an infusion of cord blood stem cells to regenerate a healthy blood and immune system.
Regenerative medicine focuses on using stem cells to repair damaged tissues and organs, which may help your baby in case of disease or injury. Doctors believe that the stem cells may travel to the site of injury and begin repair or release substances that promote healing.
This emerging field of medicine is directed at treatments for conditions such as brain injury and juvenile diabetes. There are many other areas that are in development:
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) |
Brain injury |
Cerebral palsy |
Congenital heart defects |
Hearing loss |
Heart disease |
Juvenile diabetes |
Liver disease |
Orthopedic injury |
Spinal cord injury |
Stroke/Infant stroke |
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"This revolutionary technology (regenerative medicine) has the potential to develop therapies for previously untreatable diseases and conditions. Examples of diseases regenerative medicine can cure include diabetes, heart disease, renal failure, osteoporosis, and spinal cord injuries."
1.3 Who can use the newborn's cord blood stem cells?
The baby will be a perfect match for the cord blood stem cells and may use them for a variety of emerging treatments in regenerative medicine (such as brain injury or juvenile diabetes), and transplant medicine (certain cancers and blood disorders).
To date, most medical therapies using cord blood stem cells within the family have benefited biological siblings of the newborn, because the cells in cord blood are 'naïve' and young, they may be used more frequently between family members. It is more likely that siblings will be able to use each other's cord blood for treating cancers or genetic diseases compared to using their sibling's bone marrow.
The mother should be able to use the cells due to the compatibility that occurs during gestation. Additionally, any immediate family member who is a suitable match may be able to use the baby's cord blood stem cells for transplant medicine.
- For Regenerative Medicine:
Regenerative medicine treatments require the use of the child's own stem cells.
1.4 How likely is it that my family will need to use stem cells?
The science of stem cell therapy is expanding rapidly, so it is difficult to accurately calculate the odds that a family will use the cord blood or benefit from new treatments.
According to published estimates, the odds that your child or a family member will need to use stem cells for currently available transplant treatments are 1 in 217 by age 70.
Family history is not the only indicator of need, because most forms of leukaemia are not hereditary and the causes for many cancers and diseases are unknown. In fact many serious diseases treatable with cord blood are not hereditary and occur without warning. In some cases, certain types of cancers are growing at alarming rates. Recent reports indicate that one in 630 children will get cancer by age fifteen.
Published odds of use for transplant medicine do not consider the increasing applications and promising cord blood therapies that are in development to treat brain injury, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, heart disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injury. Continued progress in stem cell treatments would greatly increase the likelihood of use by your baby throughout life. These breakthroughs in stem cell technology have lead to estimates that 1 in 3 could benefit from regenerative medicine in his or her lifetime.
1.5 How long can the stem cells be stored?
Current data reflects that cord blood cells that have been stored for fifteen years have the same composition as they did at the time of storage. All science involving cryogenic storage of cells also indicates that the cells should remain viable indefinitely.
1.6 Does having more stem cells matter for treatment outcomes?
YES. In traditional transplant medicine, having more cells available for treatment may help the patient recover faster, experience fewer complications, and ultimately, increase the chance for survival. A doctor will use all of the stem cells in transplant in order to give the patient the best chance for rapid regeneration of their blood and immune system.
In Regenerative Medicine, a higher number of cells may offer the ability to have multiple treatments.
1.7 What is graft vs. host disease (GvHD)?
GvHD is one of the most common and life-threatening side effects of a stem cell transplant when using stem cells from another individual or "donor" to treat the patient. In fact, GvHD is the leading cause of death after transplant so it is a critical consideration. GvHD occurs when the transplanted stem cells from a donor recognize the recipient's body as foreign and in result attack it. Cord blood transplants have a reduced incidence of GvHD because the immune cells within the cord blood are less reactive than the immune cells in bone marrow or peripheral blood.
Using one's own stem cells, called 'autologous' transplant, has no risk of GvHD since the cells are your own. Cord blood used between family members, called 'allogeneic-related,' has a lower risk of GvHD compared to bone marrow used between family members. GvHD risk is generally highest in transplants using unrelated donors and recipients and is called 'allogeneic-unrelated'.
1.8 What is HLA matching?
HLA matching is the criteria used to determine donor and recipient compatibility and generally refers to six proteins called Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) that appear on the surface of white blood cells and other tissues in the body. A transplant can only be performed if there is an adequate HLA match between donor and recipient. Although a perfect 6 out of 6 match is best, studies have shown that cord blood transplants can be successful, even when only three of six HLA match. With cord blood, the newborn immune cells are less mature than adult cells in bone marrow, and as a result, siblings have up to a 75% chance of using each other's cord blood, compared to only 25% with bone marrow.
New uses for cord blood stem cells are being discovered rapidly; however, banking cord blood does not guarantee that the cells will provide a cure or be applicable for every situation. Ultimate use will be determined by the treating physician.
1.9 Why do families choose to collect and store their baby's cord blood?
Families save their baby's cord blood stem cells for peace of mind - viewing it as a type of "biological insurance" - since these stem cells may be lifesaving to their family. Most of clients have no family history of disease, but recognize the current and future potential of their newborn's cord blood stem cells as a biological resource if ever needed.
Families know that there is only one opportunity - at birth - to collect these genetically unique stem cells and if not taken, the cord blood is simply discarded.
Families recognize that their baby's cord blood may offer a lifetime of protection:
- The baby's cord blood may be used to treat nearly 80 diseases. Stem cells have been used for decades in lifesaving treatments for diseases including leukaemia, other cancers, and blood disorders.
- Cord blood stem cells are showing significant potential to treat conditions that have no cure today - like juvenile diabetes and brain injury.
- The baby's cord blood is immediately available for the family if needed and faster treatment is always better.
- For use in regenerative medicine therapies using cord blood, the child's own stem cells are required.
- For treating cancers and blood disorders in transplant medicine, having the family's own cord blood available may offer significant advantages if ever needed, including fewer complications, improved survival, and a better quality of life without the need for continual anti-rejection medications.
Some families have more defined risk factors, but most families bank for the security of knowing the health benefits that stem cells may someday offer their children, themselves, or other family members.
1.10 Additional Considerations and Unique Birthing Circumstances Include
Cord blood banking is a prudent choice if the birth parents have any family history of cancer or other diseases that are treatable with stem cells. It is important to remember, however, that many common diseases treated with cord blood, like leukaemia, are not generally hereditary and occur without warning.
- Ethnic or Mixed Ethnicity
Ethnic minorities and families of mixed ethnicity have greater difficulty finding stem cell donors when needed. Many genetic diseases such as sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia are more common in certain ethnic populations. Both of these diseases have been successfully treated with stem cells from cord blood.
Families preparing to adopt a newborn choose cord blood banking because, if ever needed, the cord blood may be a valuable genetic source of stem cells for the adopted baby. In addition, depending upon the terms of the adoption, complete family medical histories are not always available.
Couples using fertility treatments bank cord blood because they face the possibility of not having another opportunity to secure a genetically related sample of cord blood stem cells for their child.
1.11 When should I enrol?
Half of all babies arrive before their due date, so it’s best to decide early. You have just one opportunity to bank your Cord Care India , so we strongly recommend making the decision during your second trimester if possible. It's never too late in your pregnancy to enroll, however.
1.12 How new is cord blood collection?
The first cord blood transplant was performed in 1988. Since then, more than 8,000 transplants have occurred.
The opportunity for expectant families to collect and store their newborn's umbilical cord blood stem cells has only been widely available since late 1995. Currently, thousands of parents are taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
1.13 Should I save cord blood for all of my children?
It is important to save cord blood for each child in the family:
- By saving cord blood for each child, each child will have access to treatments that require one's own stem cells - in both transplant and regenerative medicine therapies. For other diseases that require a donor's cells, siblings are the preferred donors.
- Saving cord blood for all children in a family provides related sources of stem cells for potential use and increases the likelihood of match between family members. Siblings have a 75% chance of using each other's cord blood, compared to only a 25% with bone marrow.
- In the case of identical twins, it is still important to save cord blood for each child as it is extremely difficult to determine if twins are indeed identical. Additionally, it is important to collect the maximum amount of cord blood in case it is ever needed. Collecting for only one baby risks not having genetically identical cord blood for both babies. Each child's cord blood is banked separately.
1.14 When and how is the cord blood collected?
Cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord immediately after the birth of the baby and after the cord has been cut. This blood is routinely discarded and collecting it does not alter normal birthing procedures. The collection can only take place at the time of delivery and is normally performed by your doctor.
Our goal at PathCare is to help your doctor collect as much cord blood as possible for your family. We offer a choice of either the syringe or blood bag collection methods.
1.15 Is collection amount important?
YES. Larger stem cell samples have shown better survival rate in transplant.
1.16 Is there any risk to my child or myself during collection?
NO. The cord blood is collected after your baby has been born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. The cord blood that is being collected is blood that would routinely be thrown away. The collection is painless, easy, and safe for mother and baby. Your doctor will not alter their normal birthing process in any way, except to collect your baby's cord blood. The average time for cord blood collection is about 5 minutes.
1.17 Does the hospital need to provide any materials for collection?
NO. You will receive a collection kit for your baby's cord blood stem cells. Your kit contains all the items your doctor will need to collect your baby's cord blood. However, you must remember to take the kit with you to the hospital when you deliver.
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