Did you know cord blood can save lives?

Question

Did you know that the ambilical cord blood can save lives of kids with cancer? Why is it not a mandatory question that mothers giving birth get asked? Is it an option anywhere in the world? & how can we let more people know this information? The stem cells taken from the ambilical cord can be grown to help grow what kids need to recover from lukemia. Some older children need twins cord blood, but in most younger childrens cases one is enough as long as it is of the right blood type and covers all the cross matching.

We live in australia and it has become obvious to me that it it more well known about with in america, here in australia it is not so well known, i only found out by being in a bad situation and needing to spend time with people whom have children with cancer, this was a huge eye opener to me

Answer 1

Yes, I knew that. It's too bad they make it so expensive- only rich parents can afford to bank it.

Answer 2

Stem cells from cord blood can be used much like a bone marrow transplant. There have been efforts to collect and save cord blood stem cells to establish a "Cord Bank" similar to a Blood Bank - that is available for whoever needs it. There are some ethical issues - who does the cord blood belong to? the mother or the child? Does the mother have the right to donate this when it should belong to the child? These were some of the issues a few years back. Sometimes one cord blood sample is not enough - but not sure it is successful to transplant cord blood from different individuals because of the risk of graft vs graft response. I am sure that studies are underway to learn more about this lifesaving product - but it's importance has been overlooked by politicians and scientists pursuing stem cells from aborted fetuses. My opinion is that they should spend a lot more time and money on cord blood research & not waste valuable time debating what is an issue that will take many years to resolve. Currently, a small amount (8-10 ml) of cord blood is collected after birth for a few tests on baby and the rest discarded.

Answer 3

before each little thing, this is umbilical. 2d, it really is everywhere in maternity promotion. organizations that save cord blood marketplace in each mag, on each website, and that i have even considered billboards close to hospitals. Watch television in the course of the day and also you'll see television commercials for it. third, banking is really expensive and hard. there is not any ascertain that the monetary employer will keep your cells doable. If some lab tech someplace forgets to fill up the liquid nitrogen or leaves the bins of tubes of cells out for too lengthy even as searching for one or doing inventory, the skill for those cells to revive is lessened. Fourth, cord blood stem cells are at present in ordinary words in a position to address blood-appropriate diseases. They have not been in a position to apply it to re-develop spinal cord cells. So, this is probably a sensible selection for persons even as sickle cellular anemia runs contained in the kinfolk. fifth, did I element out how expensive it really is? did you realize what banks value in accordance to year? There are some public banks around the country in significant cities, yet few municipalities have the money to commence public cord blood banking. ultimately, it may manage blood cancers, yet is not any certain remedy. If that maximum cancers comes to a decision to metastasize, there is not a lot the stem cellular treatment can do to help. it may do not something for kids cancers concerning the different tissue. mind tumors, Hodgkin's disease, and lymphomas are previous the scope of cord blood clinical care. i'm not affirming this is not a good element. You definately could monetary employer the blood once you've a kinfolk heritage of sickle cellular anemia or leukemia. yet for most households, this is a monetary impossibility, and definitely there is so little danger you'd be wanting it. So, no favor to push the panic button. The analyze has a approaches to flow.

Answer 4

I heard there are a couple of places in Illinois that accept ambilical cord blood for research purposes. Not sure exactly where they are, though.

Answer 5

yes i believe most people in the states are aware of umbilical cord blood banking and it's very positive effects. and i am sure that if we could all afford to bank our cord blood we'd do it but that is sadly not the case. preserving cord blood cells is not free and in fact very costly, averaging around $1000.00. this ofcourse is on top of the cost of already just having a baby!

Answer 6

To save the cord is very expensive. Only the rich or well off can afford to do such a thing.

You are right, every woman having a baby should be asked.

I also think it shouldn't be so darn expensive, it should be affirdable to everyone.

Answer 7

I think you would have to be pretty stupid not to be aware of it as much as it is advertised on TV. But the reason so many don't is the cost to keep it.. You have to pay for the hospitals to keep it for you. I am not sure of the cost now days. But I know years ago it was very expensive.

Answer 8

I believe they are asking you to save umbilical cord blood because they hope to find answers in the future, and that they don't have all the answers yet, they are still searching.

Answer 9

I did know this. I am in Michigan and it was discussed with me during all three of my preganancies. I couldn't do it though due to complications in my pregnancies. It is also very expensive.

Answer 10

yes, I saw the commercial.