FAQ's for cord blood storage

Q: What is umbilical cord blood?

A: Cord blood is blood rich in stem cells, collected by physicians from the umbilical cord following childbirth. This blood, which would normally be destroyed following in the birth procedure, can be collected and stored in cord blood banks for later use by members of your family.

Q: What are the medical applications for cord blood?

A: Blood stem cells can stimulate the production of healthy cells in persons suffering from life-threatening diseases, or in patients who have received chemotherapy and radiation. Ongoing research is aimed toward using stem cells in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Juvenile Leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, heart disease, cancer, and strokes. Stem cells are also derived from bone marrow, adult blood, and from fetuses.

Q: How is cord blood collected and stored?

A: Cord blood is removed by syringe from the umbilical cord within 15 minutes of birth. It is taken by couriers to cord blood banks, treated and frozen in cryo-preservation bags until it is needed for transplantation.

Q: What are the differences between cord blood and other stem cell sources?

A: Stem cells are taken from bone marrow in an invasive procedure. There is a high rate of rejection from marrow sources. Research stem cells from aborted fetuses are objectionable to religious and anti-abortion activists. Umbilical cord blood is gathered without any risk to the child and provides a powerfully close match for members of the immediate family.

Q: How are private and public cord blood banks different from each other?

A: Public banks can share your cord blood donations, while private cord blood registries preserve the cells for you and your family.