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

I was interested in donating my son's cord blood, but the people who accept it are only at the hospital M-F 9am-5pm. Crazy, huh? He was born at 2:42 a.m. But yeah, here in the US, you really do hear about it a lot when you're pregnant (magazines, TV shows about babies, brochures in the doctor's office)-- but you mostly hear about private banking (saving it for yourself), not about donating.

Answer 2

First off, it's umbilical.

Second, it is EVERYWHERE in maternity advertising. Companies that store cord blood market in every magazine, on every website, and I've even seen billboards near hospitals. Watch TV during the day and you'll see TV ads for it.

Third, banking is extremely expensive and difficult. There is no guarantee that the bank will keep your cells viable. If some lab tech somewhere forgets to refill the liquid nitrogen or leaves the boxes of tubes of cells out for too long while looking for one or doing inventory, the potential for those cells to revive is lessened.

Fourth, cord blood stem cells are currently only able to treat blood-related diseases. They haven't been able to use it to re-grow spinal cord cells. So, it's probably a good option for parents when sickle cell anemia runs in the family.

Fifth, did I mention how expensive it is? Do you know what banks charge per year? There are a few public banks around the country in major cities, but few municipalities have the funds to begin public cord blood banking.

Finally, it CAN treat blood cancers, but is no guaranteed cure. If that cancer decides to metastasize, there isn't much the stem cell therapy can do to help. It can do nothing for childhood cancers involving any other tissue. Brain tumors, Hodgkin's disease, and lymphomas are beyond the scope of cord blood treatment.

I'm not saying it's not a good thing. You definately should bank the blood if you have a family history of sickle cell anemia or leukemia. But for most families, this is a financial impossibility, and honestly there's so little chance you'll need it. So, no need to push the panic button. The research has a long way to go.

Answer 3

True... it can save lives- it just can't help the child you have that you save the cord blood from. We found this out as we looked into saving cord blood from our daughter. We were concerned that since my husband had a particular type of cancer when he was a child that could be passed onto a child of his, if this was a good idea or not. We checked into it, and the cord blood of our daughter would not be able to help her if she had the congenital defect because the cord blood stem cells would also be affected with the same mutation. You could, however use healthy cells from another child to help the child with the defect. You can always save the blood, hoping that your child will not need it, and that it will help another child you have or another child you don't even know. Ultimately, because of the cost involved in storage, and the likelyhood that the cord blood would not help at all... we decided not to store her blood.

Answer 4

Stem cells from wire blood might want to correctly be utilized very like a bone marrow transplant. there have been efforts to collect and save wire blood stem cells to verify a "wire economic organization" such as a Blood economic organization - it really is for sale for whoever desires it. There are some moral subject matters - who does the wire blood belong to? the mummy or the newborn? Does the mummy have the right to donate this even as it is going to belong to the newborn? those were different subject matters many years back. each now and then one wire blood pattern isn't adequate - yet no longer constructive it truly is valuable to transplant wire blood from diverse persons because of the threat of graft vs graft reaction. i'm constructive that analyze are underway to study more effective about this lifesaving product - inspite of the undeniable fact that it is value has been neglected by technique of politicians and scientists pursuing stem cells from aborted fetuses. My opinion is they ought to spend a lot more effective time and funds on wire blood analyze & no longer waste powerful time debating what's an argument which will take many years to unravel. at present, a small quantity (8-10 ml) of wire blood is accumulated after beginning for some checks on toddler and something else discarded.

Answer 5

It is not mandatory because some religions don't allow use of blood products. I do know that most hospitals and birth centers have posters advertising cord blood but that is a choice only the parent's can make...not the government.

Answer 6

I did know that, but your question about treating the issue as similar to organ donation is piquing (sic) my interest. It would be great if there was a form to give expecting mothers about donating this to be used in cases such as you mention. I'm going to watch this question and, since this is Friday night, next week I'm going to call a hospital or two that I have a relationship with and ask their public relations people about this. and get back to you,, voted or not,, to either edit my answer or leave a comment.

Answer 7

FYI - there is cord blood banking at no cost. It's a new program by one of the banks. So while cord blood banking IS expensive, there are ways around it. Whether it's banking at no cost or going for a payment plan option.

Answer 8

Yes, that is true. We donated our daughters cord blood eight months ago to help a child with leukemia. My doctor informed me about this, asked at several checkups and then gave me the kit to bring to the hospital.

Answer 9

Yes, I knew that as well. I donated my sons and my daughters now for whoever would need them.