Your newborn baby’s umbilical cord blood contains stem cells that have the potential to save lives and cure devastating illnesses. The stem cells found in cord blood can be used to treat more than 80 different diseases and they have been used to save thousands of lives.
The regenerative power of stem cells has prompted many families to store their children’s cord blood in private cord blood banks. But what are the chances of your family using the stored cord blood stem cells? In this article we’ll take a look at how cord blood is used and how likely your family is going to use it.
Diseases Currently Treated with Cord Blood
Currently, more than 80 medical conditions can be treated using cord blood stem cells including leukaemia, sickle cell disease, certain metabolic disorders and lymphoma. Most treatments use haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which can be transplanted to restore the body’s ability to create healthy blood cells.
Read More: How Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Are Used Today?
The Future Benefits of Stored Cord Blood Stem Cells
In addition to HSCs, umbilical cord blood is also a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These stem cells can be used to regenerate many types of tissue including myocytes (muscle cells), osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells) and adipocytes (fat cells).
Researchers believe that MSCs may be useful for treating many diseases and injuries in the future, including osteoporosis, muscle injuries, multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease and more. Scientists are also researching the use of stem cells to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, macular degeneration and spinal injuries. The number of diseases and injuries that can be treated with stem cells found in cord blood is rapidly increasing, which increases the likelihood that a family will use the stored cord blood stem cells.
Read More: The Major Types of Stem Cells in the Cord Blood & Their Uses
WATCH VIDEO: WHY SAVE THE CORD BLOOD
Compatibility of Cord Blood Stem Cells to Family
You have complete control over the cord blood sample that you stored in a private cord blood bank. Anyone in your family who is an HLA match can use the stored cord blood stem cells. In a family, siblings have a 25% of being a complete match. There is a possibility of matching the parents and grandparents as well.
In recent years, a family’s chances of using the stored cord blood have increased dramatically. This is because the number of stem cell treatments has increased so quickly. Currently, there is a 1 in 200 chance that a patient will require cord blood stem cells at some time in their life. The probability that a person will require cord blood stem cells will only increase as researchers discover new stem cell treatments.
DOWNLOAD FREE REPORT: Clinical Update for Stem Cell Therapies
Want to learn more about cord blood banking with a private cord blood bank?
Speak to one of our cord blood banking specialists ― 971 4 3116613 or send us an email
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