Home General Awareness Newborn cord blood to fight against several diseases

Newborn cord blood to fight against several diseases

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cord blood bank cycle
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When a baby is born, he or she is connected with an umbilical cord and the placenta. Many of us think those two materials as waste! Beware, moms and fathers-to-be, this thing can be simply a miracle for your baby’s health. Today we will be talking about Cord blood and how it is useful for the baby.

Through the umbilical cord, the baby is connected to the mother’s body. The umbilical cord is a rope kind of thing, which is the medium for the exchange of gases, waste materials, food and oxygen between mother and the baby. Now, you must be considering what is the role of placenta in baby’s origin and development.

newborn baby with umbilical cord
newborn baby with umbilical cord

Role of Placenta in baby‘s origin:

Placenta is like a cluster of tissues which actually holds the base of foetal growth. It is the muscular thing, by which the umbilical cord is attached. Placenta itself is responsible for the transfusion of nutrients and oxygen to the foetus.

What is Cord blood?

Cord blood is the baby’s blood that remains in the placenta and cord after birth. After the baby is born, the blood in the placenta and cord i no longer needed and is usually disposed of carefully. Stem cells taken from cord blood can be used to treat some serous health problems.

Why to preserve cord blood and how it is useful?

Earlier, 10 or 20 years back there was nothing like cord blood banking, but today it exists. Cord blood is currently used in the treatment of a small number of illnesses like;

  • Leukaemia
  • Sickle cell anaemia
  • Some immune system disorders
  • Some rare metabolic disorders

Maybe currently, it is not used to treat vast diseases but in future, there are full chances of the same. Some scientists believe that cord blood might in the future, be used to cure a number of other diseases.

How is Cord blood used?

Now a question must be increasing your curiosity, how actually this cord blood is extracted and used. Now we will be explaining to you the whole mechanism of cord blood usage.

A cord blood transplant uses blood stem cells to replace diseased cells with healthy new cells, and rebuild an individual’s blood and immune system. For the transplant to be a success, the new cells must match the individual’s own cells as closely as possible.

In the present date, there have been over 6000 successful cord blood transplants worldwide.

How it treats illnesses?

In some illnesses, cord blood can transplant can be used as an alternative to bone marrow transplants, to treat some disorders. This has been successful mainly in treating young patients for leukemia.

cord blood bank cycle
cord blood bank cycle

What is Cord blood banking?

You will notice, that many hospitals and clinics start the campaigns for ‘cord blood banking’. What is it actually? Is it some bank procedure? Cord blood banking is collecting and storing cord blood for treating a future disease or illness. This thing is not just limited to the baby, if any of the family members suffers from the unpredictable disease then this might save the life.

In many cases, this cord blood collection may not be advisable. Some of those factors are given below.

  • the baby is premature
  • you have multiple pregnancy
  • the cord around the neck needs to be cut early to deliver the baby
  • you are delivered by emergency cesarean section
  • you are being prescribed certain medication
  • mother or the father of the baby had tested positive for a transmissible infection.

Now you must have concluded the importance of cord blood for your upcoming baby’s life. So, if you are also expecting then make sure for this procedure.

Hope you like the article! Spread this awareness to all, it might save some lives. Take care of yourself and have a happy pregnancy!

Image source: lifesouthcord.org

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