Did You Know?

Scientists have discovered that a baby’s umbilical cord is the richest source of stem cells, beneficial to provide protection from more than 80 medical conditions!

Well, if you were not aware of the fact till now, then it’s time you decide about Cord Stem Cell Banking and opt for it. If you are expecting a baby soon, then gift your baby the very many benefits which are now possible, with this incredible technique.

What is Stem Cell Therapy?

Also called Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Therapy is the therapy or treatment that involves the use of stem cells or their derivatives to assist in improving the reparative response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue(s).

Stem cells are collected and stored in a specialised lab, and are then manipulated to be segregated into different types of cells like nerve cells, blood cells or heart muscle cells, etc. These specialized cells are then implanted into a person to treat and/or aid the treatment of certain medical conditions.

What is Stem Cell Banking?

Stem Cell Banking is the process through which stem cells are collected and preserved. When collected from a baby’s umbilical cord, it’s known as umbilical cord stem cell banking. In this particular procedure, stem cells are collected from a baby’s umbilical cord blood & cord tissue at the time of birth. Being an entirely safe procedure that results in a number of benefits, stem cell banking has become the buzzword in the world of healthcare.

When is it done?

This simple and non invasive procedure is performed at the time of birth. An important thing to note about this process is that it is safe for both – the baby as well as the mother.

How much does it cost?

There are many healthcare organisations which provide the facility of Cord Stem Cell Banking to help your child reap the benefits of science and technology. Usually, the service is available at around Rs. 20,000 and some of the organisations also offer the facility to make payments in EMIs – to help you give your child a healthier, safer, and protected future, without having to worry about arranging the entire amount of money immediately.

What is an Umbilical Cord?

It is the cord that connects a mother and her growing baby inside the womb. Being the richest source of stem cells, many expectant parents are now going for umbilical cord stem cell banking to preserve the stem cells of their baby’s umbilical cord that exist in the cord’s blood and tissue.

The Umbilical Cord – A blessing in disguise

The amazing discovery of stem cells in a baby’s umbilical cord is nothing less than a blessing. There are various benefits of umbilical cord stem cells. Some of these are:

• Safe to be used: As the stem cells from the umbilical cord are not exposed to pathogens, they are safe to be used and they pose a low risk of transmission of infectious disease. As a matter of fact, when it comes to transplants, the umbilical cord stem cells carry a lower risk of rejection owing to the production of fewer natural killer cells.
• Benefits for almost a lifetime: One of the best things about stem cells derived from the umbilical cord is that these stem cells can be preserved under cryogenic conditions, and thus, come with almost no expiry date and can be used for as long as a lifetime.
• No complexities involved: If compared with other procedures of extracting stem cells, such as the extraction of stem cells from the bone marrow, stem cell extraction from the umbilical cord is a simple process being non invasive in nature. Thus, it is a process that involves no complexities for the child or the mother.
• An impressive matching capability: Being immunologically immature, cord blood stem cells come with a better matching capability than stem cells sourced from other sources. Cord blood stem cells can be used with a 4/6 match as well, whereas stem cells derived from other sources need a 6/6 match.
• Easy and quick use, in times of need: Talk about the retrieval and use of the the cord stem cells, and it is great to note that they can be easily retrieved in times of need, as they are in a frozen state. Thus, they offer not only a safe and simple procedure, but also a quick one.

Science or Miracle?

Thanks to the amazing properties of cord blood and tissue stem cells, over the past many years they have miraculously treated over more than 80 types of medical conditions in a successful manner. Neuroblastoma, myeloma, leukemia, lymphoma, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, to name but a few.

It would be right to say that even though science has led to the discovery of the cord stem cells, the properties and the benefits that are provided by them are nothing less than a miracle for many.

It goes without saying that it is just the beginning and in the years to come, there would be far more uses of cord stem cells.

So, have you registered for it yet?