Maybe you’ve seen ads for companies inviting you to save or donate your baby’s cord blood. These companies talk about saving the life of your baby or a member of your family. Seem farfetched or unnecessary? Take a closer look. Marrow.org lists 72 diseases, many of them types of leukemia, which can be treated with a transplant of stem cells. Once inside the body, they enter the space where bone marrow belongs and begins to form new red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. You can save cord blood for your family to use, or donate it if there is a storage bank or hospital nearby.
Cord blood can be easily collected and stored with no threat to mother or baby and no interruption to the beautiful process of birth. The umbilical cord connects the baby to the placenta, and is clamped off soon after the baby is born. A small amount of blood remains in the cord even after it is clamped. This blood is collected and tested for any diseases or infections that might prevent it from being useable; if the blood is clean, it is stored at low temperatures where it can be kept for up to ten years. Once processed and stored, it can be preserved for family use or, if donated, entered into a registry, which doctors can use to find potential matches for their patients.
Should I store it even if there is no immediate need in my family?
The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement in 1999 recommending that families choose to bank cord blood “if there is a family member with a current or potential need to undergo a stem cell transplantation.” If there is no immediate familial need, you can choose to donate your baby’s cord blood. There are many people who can benefit from a stem cell transplant. There is a need for donations from a variety of races and ethnic groups. This diversity will increase the likelihood of finding a match for someone in need.
What happens during a stem cell transplant?
The first step may sound scary, but it is critical. The patient undergoes enough chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to destroy the body’s marrow and immune system. This helps to prevent the patient’s own body from attacking the new cells, and to eliminate diseased cells. Stem cells are then transferred into the patient’s body through a process similar to a blood transfusion. The cells will become new bone marrow and produce new blood cells.
Are there risks?
The patient stays in the hospital for several weeks in order for his or her doctor to observe him or her for any signs of infection or bleeding. Once home, there is still a risk of infection or side effects from the treatments. Doctors follow up to make sure the transplanted cells are being accepted by the body and are doing their job. They also watch to see if the original disease returns.
Is a cord blood transplant better than a bone marrow transplant?
Usually, patients needing new stem cells receive the cells through donated bone marrow. According to www.marrow.org, cord blood donations have certain advantages over bone marrow donations. The wait for a cord blood transplant is much shorter, less precise matching is required for cord blood, and there is a lower potential for certain kinds of infections when cord blood is used. However, cord blood cells take about a week longer to begin producing new blood cells in the body due to the smaller amount of cord blood. In addition, a second donation is not possible as there is only one umbilical cord, whereas a bone marrow donor can donate a second time.
The umbilical cord’s marvelous ability to preserve life does not have to stop at birth. If you would like more information, talk to your doctor or contact a company specializing in the storage of cord blood.
By Alisa Elizabeth King Terry