Cord Blood FAQs
- What is cord blood?
- What are stem cells?
- Why do families choose to collect and store their baby's cord blood?
- How are stem cells used in medicine?
- What types of diseases use stem cell transplantation as part of the treatment therapy?
- What types of applications for stem cells may be available in the future?
- How is the cord blood collected?
- When is the cord blood collected?
- Is there any risk to my child or myself?
What is cord blood?
Cord blood, or umbilical cord blood, is the blood remaining in your child's umbilical cord following birth. It is a rich, non-controversial source of stem cells that can only be collected at the time of birth.
What are stem cells?
Stem Cells are the building blocks of our blood and immune systems. They are found throughout the body including in bone marrow, cord blood and peripheral blood. They are particularly powerful because they have the ability to treat, repair and/or replace damaged cells in the body.
Why do families choose to collect and store their baby's cord blood?
Today, cord blood stem cells have been used successfully in the treatment of nearly 80 diseases and over 600,000 families worldwide have banked their cord blood.
For most families, banking their baby's cord blood offers peace of mind that should there be a need, their family’s stem cells are readily available. Still others choose cord blood banking because of its emerging use in treating Type 1 Diabetes and cerebral palsy and the potential that cord blood stem cells may someday be used to treat diabetes, heart disease and stroke in the future.
Naturally, there are those who bank because of family history or because there is an existing medical need for a cord blood transplant. It's also important to remember that transplants using cord blood from a family member are twice as successful as transplants using cord blood from a non-relative (i.e., a public source).1
How are stem cells used in medicine?
Stem cells are used therapeutically in transplants to help cure, treat and repair damaged blood and immune systems. This is especially valuable when the systems have been damaged by radiation or chemotherapy.
What types of diseases use stem cell transplantation as part of treatment therapy?
Here is a list of the diseases stem cells have been successful in treating.
What types of applications for stem cells may be available in the future?
Researchers worldwide are now looking to cord blood for answers to diseases like heart disease, cerebral palsy and diabetes. Research is also being conducted to expand the volume of collected stem cells with the goal of treating more diseases and more adults. This is important because today the quantity of stem cells available from a single umbilical cord unit is generally only enough to treat one patient one time. To learn more about ViaCord's research initiatives, click here.
How is the cord blood collected?
The collection process is easy and painless, and does not interfere with the delivery or subsequent care for your newborn. After your baby is born, but before the placenta is delivered, your obstetrician or midwife cleans a four- to eight- inch area of umbilical cord with antiseptic solution and inserts the blood bag needle into the umbilical vein. The blood flows into the bag by gravity until it stops, after which the collection is complete. The blood bag is clamped, sealed, and labeled. The collection typically takes two to four minutes. Three tubes of maternal blood are also drawn for testing.
When is the cord blood collected?
There is only one time that cord blood can be collected: at birth.
Is there any risk to my child or myself?
There is no risk to mother or child during the cord blood collection process. The baby does not remain in the birthing area during the procedure, which is painless and noninvasive. Watch how cord blood is collected.
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