The Value of Cord Blood in Medicine Today

The blood that remains in the umbilical cord and in the placenta after a child's birth is called cord blood. The composition of cord blood contains a great number of very important cells for the human organism (stem cells). In fact these cells construct the immune system and the blood system of the human body. They are "base" cells and they can transform into many other types of human cells. Cord blood has a lot of extraordinary features and can be very useful in many situations. It can be used in the treatment of many diseases because stem cells have great curative powers. Also, the stem cells existing in the cord blood develop faster than bone marrow stem cells and they are more resistant to bacteria and disease. This recommends cord blood as one of the most potent natural resources of health and treatments. Cord blood stem cells privately stored can be useful for the donor (baby) and also for other family members, and can avoid the unpleasant and expensive procedure of collecting stem cells from an unrelated donor in the case of the need of a transplant. Parents are highly advised to store their baby's cord blood because of the health advantages that it can bring them in the future. There are even some companies that offer free collection and storage of the baby's umbilical cord blood at the time of delivery. There are a great number of malignant diseases than can be treated with the help of cord blood like Leukemia, Lymphoma Neuroblastoma (a type of cancer that has its origins in the adrenal gland and that develops in early childhood) and other types of cancer. It can also be used in the treatment of non-malignant diseases such as: Aplastic Anemia (deficiency in healthy red blood cells); Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome (frequent infections caused by a rare congenital syndrome); Congenital Cytopenia (a deficiency of blood cells); Hunter Syndrome (interferes with the body's ability to break down a toxic complex carbohydrate); Osteoporosis (abnormalities in the structure of bones); Sickle Cell Anemia (the oxygen doesn't get to the body's organs because of the rapid breakdown of red blood cells); Thalassemia (a blood condition interfering with the hemoglobin production); and Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome (recurrent infections caused by a defective immune system). A great number of diseases specialists are hopeful of finding even newer cord blood treatments.