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Saving your baby’s umbilical cord blood allows it to be cryogenically stored, and then available if your child later becomes sick and needs a bone marrow transplant. Umbilical cord blood was discarded until the 1970’s, when researchers discovered that umbilical cord blood could save lives under certain circumstances.How do you decide on cord blood banking? Many soon-to-be parents ask this very question. Here are some things to consider when deciding on whether or not to bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood.

This type of transplant would be ‘autologous’ and is different than the more common ‘allogenic’ transplants that might be done from a sibling or other relative or an unrelated donor. Our own blood is the best choice for a transplant.

Often times, cord blood banking can save a baby’s life. But still, there are many other factors to consider. Price seems to be the number one roadblock, with the complete cost being around $3,000. So, you should certainly not feel guilty if you cannot bank your child’s cord blood. Should you even consider cord blood banking? That part will be up to you.

However, if you already have a child or family member that has a condition that can be treated with a stem cell transplant (such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, aplastic anemia, leukemia, metabolic storage disorders and certain genetic immunodeficiencies), then you defenitely should consider banking your child’s umbilical cord blood. However, the average baby without risk factors has a very low chance of ever needing his or her cord blood.

On the other hand, some doctors and researchers support saving umbilical cord blood as a source of blood-forming stem cells in every delivery. This is mainly because of the promise that stem-cell research holds for the future. The majority of people would have little use for stem cells now, but research into the use of stem cells for treatment of disease is ongoing - and the future looks promising.

You may also want to donate your baby’s cord blood. This is possible through non-profit cord blood banks that use it for research or to save the life of another child.

Overall, cord blood banking looks to have a promising future. It’s defenitely an option you should look into. After you’ve studied the facts and your family history, you should be able to make a much more informed decision on what’s right for you.

Cord blood is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord of a baby after the baby’s birth. Recently it has been discovered that the cord blood contains stem cells that are rich in quality and can be a great source of blood cells. This cord blood can be processed, and stored in banking centers and can later be used to replenish the stem cells in case of stem cell transplant.

Stem cells generate the blood cells required in a human body. When the stem cells get damaged due to any reason, the blood cell generation levels in a body will get affected. This can result in either excess of blood cells or shortage of blood cells. In order to treat the diseases caused by these conditions, stem cell transplantation need to be performed, i.e. new, healthy stem cells from a matching person have to be transplanted to the patient.

The best source of stem cells has been the bone marrow. Recently the cord blood from the umbilical cord of a baby has been found to be rich in stem cell content and is being considered as a good option for those considering stem cell transplant. Cord blood and bone marrow can be used to as a source of stem cells but cord blood has a set of advantages while considering for stem cell transplant as its collection, preservation and transplantation is comparatively easier compared to bone marrow transplant.

Further it is highly likely that the availability of the cord blood will become high as more people recognize its use and simplicity with which they can donate the cord blood for stem cell preservation by specialized banks, which can be used later for treatments. Cord blood and stem cell preservation techniques have gone through rapid advancements in recent times. Generally it is the cord blood banks which will practice cord blood and stem cell storage and preservation.

These banks will collect the cord blood and will test it for various criteria including stem cell count before placing it in preservation containers. Later the stem cells will be separated and stored in liquid nitrogen in a freezer. When needed this can either be used for the same person or can be donated to others. The details of the tissue type of the cord blood will be analyzed and entered in a registry to be used for transplantation with a matching recipient. The cord blood and stem cell preservation containers are normally cryogenically sealed special containers where the blood can be stored for a long time. It has been found that with proper storage cord blood and stem cells, the preservation time can be up to ten years.

Cord blood and stem cell preservation is making a big difference in saving the lives of people, as the number of expectant patients waiting for stem cell transplant operations is far more than the number of matching cord blood units available, it will be a great advancement if the number of stem cells in an unit of cord blood can be increased. Cord blood banking is not a procedure adopted compulsorily anywhere. Parents desirous of having the cord blood preserved for future use have to make necessary arrangements with the authorised cord blood banking services well in advance.

The advancements of medicine and technology are saving lives each year that would otherwise be lost to disease or medical disorder. Each year, more and more children are living through potentially terminal diseases and battling their way back to health with help of cord blood. Cord blood is found within the umbilical cord and preserved upon the birth of the child. Since the blood contains stem cells, numerous diseases and disorders are successfully treated and even cured through transplants. Parents today are choosing to either bank cord blood for future use or donate their newborn’s cord blood so that ill children can take advantage of this life-saving blood.

An inspiring case is that of siblings Ashley and Kelvin J. of Maryland. These two children were both born with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome that is usually terminal, since the body’s immune system cannot fend off the germs that would otherwise be harmless to a healthy body. Projected life span for children diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCIDS) is approximately six months; however, both Ashley and Kelvin received a transplant of cord blood from anonymous donors whose cord blood was donated to public blood banks.

Another story that shows the success of using cord blood to treat potentially deadly diseases and disorders is that of brothers Blayke and Garrett L. of Los Angeles. Born three years apart, both boys developed a rare disorder known as lymphoproliferative disease. Blayke and Garrett’s immune systems were unable to successfully fight off germs commonly found in the world around them. Generally, at a very early age children diagnosed with lymphoproliferative disease develop mononucleosis, a potentially fatal disease that individuals with a working immune system commonly recover from. Again, thanks to the donation of cord blood from an anonymous donor, both boys are now living happy and healthy lives due to a blood transplant. If this option was not available, the young brothers’ only hope would be a painful and complicated bone marrow transplant that would not have had the same success rate as the cord blood transplant.

In addition to children using donated cord blood to survive the odds, more and more children are using their own cord blood to treat or cure diseases or medical disorders. These diseases are disorders may be present before birth or be developed after birth, but regardless the case, cord blood is an excellent tool in the fight to preserve life. A recent study at Duke University involved children diagnosed with Krabbe’s disease—a rare genetic disorder that affects the brain and attacks cognitive and motor functions. Twenty-five children diagnosed with Krabbe’s disease were followed and studied regarding their treatments. For those children treated with a cord blood transplant immediately after birth, 100 percent showed positive development and survival, whereas 43 percent of children treated with cord blood transplant after development of symptoms saw success.

These children are testament to the vitality of umbilical cord blood and should inspire parents to not let this life-saving blood go to waste. According to the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood,upon delivery of the child, technicians must work quickly to ensure they preserve the cord blood before it begins to clot and becomes useless. Whether you choose to store your child’s cord blood in a private blood bank or donate your child’s cord blood to a public blood bank so that it can potentially save the life of an Ashley, Kelvin, Blayke, or Garrett in the country, ensure that your child’s cord blood is used in the best possible manner. More and more, hospitals around the country are developing a system to ensure that all cord blood is either stored or donated—but not wasted.

Once you have made the decision to invest in your family’s future by banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood, begin the search for the right cord blood bank. There are numerous cord blood banks all over the country that serve as storage facilities for this crucial item, so make your decision carefully. Many parents find this search daunting, simply due to the sheer number of facilities available.

To avoid picking a cord blood bank that may not meet your wants and needs, the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood recommends that you consider the following factors when making your decision.

Price: This is a main concern to most parents, since it is not cheap to bank cord blood. However, many cord blood banks have specials depending on the need of the child or the family, so be sure to do your homework before you decide. Most cord blood banks offer dramatically reduced rates—or even free storage—if your new baby or another child is thought to need a transplant immediately. Otherwise, the best way to determine price is to contact private cord blood banks to determine if their rates are within your budget. Keep in mind that cord blood storage acts as an insurance policy for your family, so consider any other factors before immediately determining not to store your child’s cord blood simply because of price. Some company’s, such as Viacord, regularly offer coupons both online and at doctors’ offices, and many cord blood banks can provide payment plans as well.

Location: There are private cord blood banks all over the country, so you are sure to find one near your home. Furthermore, many hospitals work in cooperation with private cord blood banks, especially those that specialize in birthing babies, so ask your doctor, nurse, or midwife about this option. Once you have identified a private cord blood bank in your area, make an appointment to visit and discuss your options with the bank’s professional staff. These trained and knowledgeable individuals will be able to answer any and all questions regarding cord blood storage and the fees and tasks associated with the storage. Furthermore, the facility will identify a method for collecting the cord blood, as private cord blood banks often work in cooperation with a hospital on this issue.

Reputability: In many instances, this search will provide you with numerous options, but how can you ensure the facility is reputable and working in your best interest? The answer rests in the hands of the American Association of Blood Banks, the AABB. This association regularly inspects blood banks all over the country, providing an accredited status much like that provided in the college and university system. Before you decide on a specific cord blood bank, contact the AABB to determine if the private blood bank is accredited or if it has any complaints lodged against the facility by other patrons. Think of the AABB as the final word that you can trust in whether or not the cord blood bank in your location is reputable and worthy of your child’s precious cord blood.

After you have considered these three main aspects regarding the storage of your child’s cord blood, the final decision should be less imposing than attacking the decision blindly. Be sure to keep an open mind during your search to find a facility that works well with your situation. The internet is a perfect research tool, as a quick and simple web search will provide you with countless options for private cord blood banks all over the country—and all over the world. Before you decide against this option, make the time to speak with a professional at one of these banks in order to make the most informed decision about the medical promises that cord blood can offer to your baby or another child in your family. Finally, if you decide against banking your baby’s cord blood, consider donating the blood to a public cord blood bank for research purposes and public use.

Cord blood is the blood found in the umbilical cord after a baby is born. It is becoming increasingly popular to bank this cord blood. The reason? The umbilical cord blood contains stem cells.

What are stem cells and why could they be important to the future health of your baby?

Stem cells from cord blood are cells that can create other kinds of beneficial blood cells. These other types of blood cells can be used to combat a variety of diseases that attack the immune system from certain blood diseases to certain varieties of cancers. As medical knowledge continues to advance it is also possible that a number of other diseases might be treatable with this umbilical cord blood.

Saving stem cells from cord blood is becoming a popular option because unlike bone marrow stem cell retrieval it is much easier to harvest and less dangerous to the patient. In fact, the procedure to collect cord blood from the baby at birth is painless for the baby and won’t interrupt the birth process.

Another advantage of stem cells from cord blood is that there appears to be less chance of rejection from the host once the cells are introduced making it easier in the case of transplants and other uses.

Add to that the fact that banked cord blood is much more readily accessible than searching for a bone marrow donor through the bone marrow registries and you have an option that makes cord blood seemingly preferable to bone marrow for use in transplants.

Is cord blood preservation and storage economically feasible though?

That remains to be seen. Although the likelihood of one ever having to use the cord blood is remote, the fact that you may have a bank account with cord blood can provide many with a peace of mind unmatched.

Having said that, the jury is still out as to whether using the stem cell blood for your own child is effective or not. For this reason, one should consult a doctor well-versed in the knowledge of the benefits and perils of stem cell transplantation prior to using stored cord blood or even setting up a cord blood bank account.

Using a cord blood bank to store the cord blood for the future use of your child could be important for families that have a history of some cancers or genetic disorders. In this case having the umbilical cord blood in storage is an option that could be explored.

There are an increasing number of cord blood banks that handle cord blood storage. Usually there is an initial outlay that may run up to a couple of thousand dollars followed by a yearly maintanance fee.

Two of the most prominent cord blood banks include the Cord Blood Registry and Viacord. Stored cord blood from the Cord Blood Registry has been responsible for more transplant blood than any other cord blood bank to date. They, like their counterparts, have recommendations from medical professionals on their site.

A parent can also donate the cord blood of their baby to be made available to others via a public cord blood bank. One caveat here though is that even though this is a noble option and one that could very well prolong the lives of others in need there is more red tape involved as the disease history of the parents must be tested, analyzed and confirmed often making it an expensive option.

In the end, is cord blood donation a wise option? On the positive side you have the improved health possibilities and potential future technological advances that may come up with more valuable uses of the stored cord blood. On the negative side you have the cost to retrieve and store the cord blood and the ambiguous scientific evidence as to its efficacy.

Choosing to store or donate cord blood in a cord blood bank then should probably only be done after consultation with a knowledgable physician well-versed in the latest cord blood stem cell research.

Are you pregnant? If you are, then you have undoubtedly seen advertisements for banking your babies cord blood. Cord blood banking has become a hot topic with parents-to-be recently. The reason is simple; the companies that store the cord blood tout the advantages to saving this once in a lifetime supply of stem cells. While the benefits of saving the cord blood from your newborn could be numerous, there are some things that should be taken into consideration. This article will help to provide you with a place to start on your journey for more information.

1- The proponents of cord blood banking state that this particular type of blood is needed to cure future diseases that the child or their close relatives may developed in the future. Diseases such as leukemia sickle cell anemia anything that may need a bone marrow transplant. The reason is that the cord blood will be a 100% match for the child, and at least a 25% match for siblings.

2- However, it is important to note also, that the costs associated with cord blood banking can be very high. One popular blood bank charges around $1500.00 for the initial storage and processing fees and $80.00 a month for storage after that. The blood is generally kept in storage until the donor (the newborn baby) is 21 years old. This is a significant investment, and needs to be given careful consideration.

3- If you are planning to save the cord blood from your newborn, it is very important that you do your research. You need to know the processing procedures, how many subscribers they currently have, if anyone has actually needed to use the cord blood that was stored, and if so, was it still viable? Ask also if the blood bank is a member of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), this will help to ensure that they are a legitimate blood bank that is concerned with your personal situation.

4- After you have selected a few banks that you are interested in, you will need to do some checking into their financial situation. A reputable bank will allow you, at least, to read an over view of their financial statement. This is an important step because, if an institution is not economically sound, then the investment that you are making to preserve the cord blood is not safe.

5- If you are not interested in saving and, therefore paying for the cord blood banking, you may consider its donation. The procedures for collection are the same and pose no danger or pain to either you or to your child. However, this form of donation is a little different that a normal blood donation. This type of blood has the potential to unlock the mysteries of diseases and can be an important research tool. Before it can be used for that reason, you will need to sign a form stating that they have your permission to use the blood for research purposes.

6- You can also donate the cord blood to a person that is suffering from a medical condition such as leukemia or sickle cell anemia. If your child is a match for a bone marrow transfer, this cord blood could indeed save someone’s life.

7- As you can see, there are different options that are available to you for the use of your child’s cord blood. However, the costs can add up, if you are ever in a position where you cannot pay the storage fees, then the blood may go to waste, therefore, the costs need to be weighed against the potential gains.

The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) recently was found partially liable for $1.35 million in damages awarded to a man infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) when he received transfusions of several units of blood platelets during open-heart surgery in 1984.William Snyder contracted acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) from a transfusion of blood that the Bergen Community Blood Center (BCBC), a nonprofit blood bank, had provided to St. Joseph’s Hospital. The BCBC is a member of the AABB, an industry standard-setting association of blood banks and blood-banking professionals.

Upholing a lower court ruling, a jury in the Supreme Court of New Jersey found the AABB negligent for failing to recommend surrogate testing (for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen) and therefore responsible for 30% of the $1.35 million in damages awarded to Snyder - after interest is accounted for, this comes to more than $460,000 - because while there was no direct test available at the time to determine whether blood was infected with HIV, the court deemed other means of making that determination were available.

The AABB, however, said it used all the best scientific knowledge available at the time to determine the quality of the blood used. Further, the court incorrectly concluded that the AABB placed economic self-interest above that of the public health, and that the court overestimated the power that the AABB had at the time to enforce surrogate testing, according to Eric R. Slayton, division director, strategic planning and communications for the AABB, based in Bethesda, Md.

The launch of the American Revolution in 1775 came with the shot heard ’round the world. British attempts to control colonial trade and to tax the colonists to pay for the costs of colonial administration and defense went against the traditions of local self-government. This eventually incited the colonies to rebellion. If the premise is true that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, then the recent shot taken by the New Jersey judicial system at the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) could provoke a revolution among standard-setting organizations nationwide.

The Supreme Court of New Jersey recently upheld a lower court ruling that found the AABB negligent for failing to recommend surrogate testing (for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen). The AABB, therefore, was held responsible for 30% of the $1.35 million in damages awarded to William Snyder, who contracted AIDS from a transfusion during open-heart surgery in 1984 from blood supplied by the Bergen Community Blood Center, a nonprofit blood bank and member of the AABB. While there was no direct test available at the time to determine whether blood was infected with HIV, the court deemed other methods of making that determination were available.

Despite the AABB’s defense that it used all the best scientific knowledge available at the time to determine the quality of the blood used, and regardless of the fact that the AABB cannot enforce AABB members to follow all of its guidelines and standards, the AABB is being held responsible for some $460,000 in damages.

Seeking other remedies

After the New Jersey Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling, the AABB filed a motion for reconsideration, but it was denied recently. “So we’re not going to get the case reheard,” said Eric R. Slayton, division director, strategic planning and communications for the Bethesda, Md.-based AABB. “This left us no legal remedies through the judiciary system in New Jersey, and it’s not the type of case that would be heard at the U.S. Supreme Court level,” he said.

ARX Portugal is a collective of architects established in Lisbon in 1991 by brothers Jose and Nuno Mateus, both graduates of the city’s Technical University. This project for a regional blood centre in the university city of Coimbra is their second such building (the first was in Porto, AR July 2004). Due for completion in 2007, the centre serves local hospitals and pharmaceutical companies by providing blood collection, analysis and storage. Blood processing requires super hygienic conditions to avoid contamination, but regular scientific and technical advances also mean that the procedures involved can change, so the building had to have a high degree of internal flexibility. In Porto, the blood centre wrapped itself around a set of courtyards like a folding ribbon; here it is a more rooted, object building in the landscape, partly dug into a sloping site. Its whale-like bulk is pierced by long horizontal slashes of glazing and at one end it opens up to form a large vitrine overlooking the site. Responding to the sequences involved in blood analysis and processing, internal planning is highly logical and methodical, but though highly functional, the building has a thoughtful refinement. C. S.

Q When a serum separator tube is used for blood banking, what effect will the gel have on the antibody screen and x-match? Is it acceptable to use serum from a gel tube if the sample was centrifuged within 30 minutes of collection and decanted immediately following centrifugation?

A The problem with using gel tubes is that the gel forms a sticky layer between the serum and the red blood cells (RBCs). In order to obtain RBCs for testing, the technologist’s pipette must pass through this layer to sample the red cells. The gel can contaminate the RBCs during this sampling process. RBCs contaminated with the gel are “sticky” and prone to agglutinate, which can produce false-positive test results. This effect is present as soon as the specimen is spun and is not significantly affected by the amount of time the sample has spent in the tube.