What to Consider for Umbilical Cord Blood Banking in India

Things to Consider before your Baby’s Delivery

Many new mothers have a tough time getting their babies to feed after delivery. Both the mother and child are new to the experience, so it is quite natural. So, if you thought that the baby knows what to do, you might be wrong. Do not expect your baby to just latch on immediately. Given that you have nine months during your pregnancy, it is better to learn the basics during this time. Also, have you thought about staying in the hospital for a while longer? While most mothers want to be discharged almost immediately, staying for a couple of days extra at the hospital might allow the nurses to help you adjust to motherhood. Similarly, there are various other things to think through, such as the hospital for delivery and even umbilical cord blood banking in India.

The Baby Plan

1. Choosing the Hospital: Your gynaecologist might have his/her private practice. So, you still might need to choose a hospital for delivery. It is a good option to finalize more than one hospital. For instance, one for pre-mature delivery and one for normal delivery. An important factor to consider is the nursery. Choose a hospital with a nursery that offers comprehensive, high-quality services. This is even more important than the labour room features or the operation theatre.

2. Cord Blood Banking: Today, umbilical cord blood has the ability to treat over eighty life threatening diseases. When you harvest and store your baby’s cord blood, you are saving a highly important medical resource. So, considering umbilical cord blood banking in India is an important decision during pregnancy. Look at the experience and credentials of the bank; along with services and facilities to make a decision.

3. Post Delivery Help: Most mothers cannot manage alone. So, consider having your mother or mother-in-law, or even a sister or friend, come down and help you for a couple of weeks. Having someone who has already handled babies might also be a moral boost. If none are available, consider full time house help.

4. The Baby Doctor: While you have the assistance of your gynaecologist, you need to look for a paediatrician for your baby. It is best to have these things finalised before the delivery.

5. Delivery Options: Lastly, talk to your doctor about delivery options and risk of complications. Each type of delivery requires special type of care. You might not have time to analyse all this when the baby is ready to be born. So, be informed beforehand. Ask your doctor if any of the options might compromise umbilical cord blood banking in India or might lead to other complications. This will give you perspective as well.

Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells Therapy for Cancer

Are Cord Blood Stem Cells the Answer to Cancer?

According to a report by KMBZ on April 10, 2015, 12 year old Jenna Gibson is now celebrating a cancer free life, after she was diagnosed with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia when she was 9 years old. After the rigorous chemotherapy ate away her body’s immune system, traditional bone marrow treatments also failed. The family lost all hope until the doctors suggested transplant and therapy using umbilical cord blood stem cells. This is what eventually saved the girl’s life.

Leukemia and other types of cancers affect millions of people around the world each year. With the statistics increasing in alarming proportions, researchers have been trying to find a possible cure for the last 70 years. Currently, it seems that an answer has been found using cord blood cells, and research is under way for developing effective cancer therapies with these cells.

Cord Blood Therapy for Cancer

Umbilical cord blood stem cells are being used to treat certain cancers with the help of cord blood transplants. This therapy involves stem cells transplantation into the bone marrow of the patient, which then helps regenerate blood. It is a vital, and often lifesaving, treatment, since chemotherapy and radiation destroy healthy cells, apart from destroying the malignant cells and cancerous tissues. Cord blood helps replenish these cells.

Stem Cell Transplants for Treating Cancer

During chemotherapy and radiation, even the stem cells that are present in the bone marrow are destroyed (apart from cancerous cells and other healthy cells). So, the body has no way of restoring the blood and tissue. This is where cord blood is used. When the doctors feel that the cancerous tissues have been destroyed, they begin cell therapy.

Cord blood is injected into a vein (similar to blood transfusion) or deposited directly into the bone marrow. Once these cells settle down in the bone marrow, they begin to regenerate blood. This process is called engraftment.

Why is Cord Blood Therapy an Effective Treatment?

Blood drawn from the cord of newborn babies contain umbilical cord blood stem cells, which are a fairly new source of stem cells. A small volume of this blood has a high count of stem cells that can multiply quickly. Additionally, their “immature” nature decreases the risk of rejection by the host. Cord blood cells produce their own immune cells, which helps destroy small deposits of cancerous cells that might remain after preliminary treatments. It is said that the molecular basis of stem cell therapy will help develop similar therapies, thereby allowing cancerous tissues to receive stem cells therapy that can replenish the damaged tissue.

What is umbilical cord stem cell banking?

Umbilical cord stem cell banking is being done actively for almost past 24 years and has saved millions of lives. According to an estimate, more than 60,000 patients are being treated via stem cell therapy for different medical conditions. These diseases are as complicated as leukaemia, thalassemia etc. It is the ‘super’ power of stem cells which gives our body the chance to heal, repair and regenerate. These magic cells have the unique ability to turn into any kind of cells like blood cells, brain cells or even tissue. These stem cells give us a chance to lead a healthier and a longer life. It is important to know that each and every part of our body is made up of stem cells, may it be skin or teeth or hair or any other part. A baby in the womb is just a mass of stem cells.

What is the importance of umbilical cord stem cell banking?

Umbilical cord stem cell banking is extremely crucial as the cord blood is rich in stem cells and can be used to cure various diseases. Once, the umbilical cord was considered a biological waste and was thrown away without realising its medicinal value. Now, researchers show that the umbilical cord is a rich source of stem cells which in turn is proving crucial in the treatment of several life threatening diseases. Studies show and the researchers believe that in future not only life threatening diseases but common illnesses will also be cured by stem cell therapy.

What is the procedure for obtaining umbilical cord stem cells?

Umbilical cord stem cell banking is a simple procedure and is relatively painless. The important point is that the collection of blood should be done as soon as possible after the delivery otherwise the blood starts clotting and becomes useless. Once the baby is born and separated from the mother, a needle is inserted in that part of the umbilical cord which is still attached to the placenta. Once inserted, the procedure takes around 10 minutes approximately. When the needle is inserted in the cord, it is nowhere near the baby and does not inconvenience the baby or the mother in any way. After the sample has been collected, it is immediately transferred to a storage facility in a controlled environment. In the facility due care is taken to ensure that the sample is preserved at the right temperature. It is then monitored by a team of certified and experienced professionals.

What precautions should be taken for proper storage of cord blood?

For the storage facility, some important points need to be taken care of. As the storage bank will be preserving the stem cells for 21 years, the company which has been chosen for umbilical cord stem cell banking should be well reputed, financially stable and certified. Secondly, the storage facility should be located in a place which is less prone to natural disasters like floods or earthquakes etc. Also there should be proper measures to safeguard the cord against any damage caused due to fire etc. Thirdly, the storage facility should have adequate power back in case of a power failure. Lastly, the bank chosen should have a good network and tie ups with hospitals to ensure that the sample is available even at a short notice.