What is cord blood?
What is cord blood?
During your child birth, you will have an opportunity to save your baby's cord blood. Containing stem cells, cord blood may later be used to save your baby's life.
By the YeahBaby.com editorial staff
Any pregnancy is a miracle - especially your pregnancy! Your body works magic to give life to your newborn. A large part of that miracle is contained in cord blood. Also known as placental blood or umbilical cord blood, cord blood can be saved for a later time to help your child battle any of countless illnesses.
Cord blood is found in the portion of the umbilical cord which remains attached to your baby and in placental blood vessels. In addition to containing the typical elements of blood (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma), cord blood is rich in hematopoietic stem cells. Hematopoietic cells are blood forming cells, similar to the cells found in bone marrow.
Once an umbilical cord is cut, a baby has no need for any extra umbilical or placental cord blood. This cord blood can be stored until a later date when it can be used to assist your baby in fighting a variety of life threatening illnesses. Most commonly, cord blood transplants have been used to treat blood diseases, immune system diseases, and restore functional deficiencies of several genetic metabolic diseases.
Cord blood has been used to fight over 70 diseases and that number continues to climb. Research continues and it is thought cord blood will some day be used to replace other bodily tissues such as nerve cells and heart cells.
Expectant parents can contact a cord blood bank for additional information on how to bank a baby's cord blood.
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