**Collaborative post**
As parents, we try to do everything we can to protect our children from what life throws at us but when it comes to their health, we’re not always in control of what could happen.
Parents now have the option to safeguard their child’s future long-term health in a process called cord blood banking.
I’ve teamed up with Cells4Life, the UK’s largest cord blood bank, to provide you with an overview to cord blood banking and how it could change your family’s life.
Cord Blood Banking
Did you know that the umbilical cord blood is the richest source of powerful stem cells your baby will ever have? And did you know that you can access these powerful stem cells, also known as ‘the building blocks’ of life, through a quick and non-invasive process called cord blood banking?
Well, thanks to science, you can. The process of cord blood banking involves collecting these stem cells from the residual blood in the umbilical cord and storing it for future use. Parent’s only have one opportunity to collect these precious cells, and that comes straight after childbirth.
The collection takes place in a separate room following the third stage of labour and has no impact on your birthing plan or the overall delivery process. You probably won’t even know it’s happening, meaning that your special day of welcoming your baby into the world is uninterrupted.
So, once the stem cells have been collected and stored, what can they actually do?
Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells
Of course, we hope that our children never need a stem cell treatment, but what if we could have a back-up plan in case they do? That’s the promise of umbilical cord blood banking.
Stem cells are known as ‘master cells’ and hold two unique functions within the human body. These include the ability to self-renew as well as the power to divide into specialised cells. This essentially means that stem cells can transform themselves into any cell that is needed to repair, regrow or regenerate damaged parts of the body. Pretty incredible, right?
Umbilical cord blood stem cells are particularly special as they are much younger and more naïve compared to other types of stem cell, such as those in bone marrow. They are also much easier to collect and can transform more easily into various different cell types.
The more cells that are collected, the better! With more cells comes better access to an increasing number of medical treatments for different conditions.
Stem Cell Treatments and Clinical Trials
Researchers have recently estimated that as many as 1 in 3 people will need a regenerative treatment at some point in their life. Having the option to store your baby’s stem cells means that they would have immediate access to a large number of therapies, should they ever need it.
Umbilical cord blood stem cells are currently used to treat over 80 different conditions, including various blood and immune diseases such as leukaemia, sickle cell anaemia and lymphoma.
Since the first cord blood transplant back in the 1980s, there have been over 1 million stem cell treatments performed worldwide. Now, the future of stem cell science has never looked more exciting, with research suggesting that umbilical cord stem cells could potentially provide life-changing treatments for cerebral palsy, hearing loss and spinal cord injury, along with many more.
Your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells could provide a match for their siblings, and even for mum and dad – possibly the best type of insurance coverage you could ask for! It seems there is no better time to invest in your baby’s future – not only for them but for your entire family.
To find out more information about cord blood banking and these powerful stem cells, visit https://cells4life.com/cord-blood-banking-overview/about-umbilical-cord-blood/
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