Umbilical Cord Blood Banking
The Umbilical cord blood bank is one of the most important recent developments in the field of science. There are many people who are suffering from incurable diseases and these diseases ultimately leads them to their death. Lifestyle diseases as well as those that are caused by immune system disorders are at present very difficult to cure, if at all they can be cured. On the other hand, they are easily curable if there is a change in the treatment provided to the person by using the cord blood that was stored. There are diseases that are so widespread that they are not curable.
So, in these situations, the only thing that can be done is to use the stem cells that are present in the cord blood to repair and renew the tissues. For this to be possible, the cord blood has to be stored in the first place. This is where the role of umbilical cord blood banks are very important.
Feasibility of storing cord blood
It should be noted that storing the cord blood of every single person who is born is not feasible. Also, the storage of cord blood for many years in highly stringent conditions will cost a lot of money. So, this facility is available only top those who are able to pay a huge cost for storing their umbilical cord blood for the possible future benefit of their children.
Role in stem cell therapy
The bone marrow transplant was the main method that was used in the stem cell therapy. The use of the cord blood for stem cell therapy has changed the way people treat diseases. The umbilical cord blood bank is very useful for the stem cell therapy. This is because the cord blood has a lot of stem cells in it. The stem cells that are available in this umbilical cord blood are much younger and useful. This is the reason for the cord blood to be preferred for the use of the stem cell therapy.
Types of umbilical cord blood banks
The umbilical cord blood bank is the place where the blood is stored. There are public as well as private banks that are present and they cater to the health needs of various people. There are some people who use the umbilical cord blood bank to store the blood that was available when there was a birth in their family. Stem cell therapy is used when any family members suffers from an immune disease or other similar diseases.
Umbilical cord blood banking pros and cons
The Umbilical cord blood banking pros and cons are listed here as disadvantages and benefits.
Disadvantages of umbilical cord blood banking
Though there are many different advantages with umbilical cord blood banking, there are some disadvantages too. One of the major disadvantages is that the whole process is very expensive. The process of collecting and storing the cord blood is time taking and also needs efficient health care units. The storage of the tissue for a very long time in cold storage will mean that the family has to pay a lot of money. So, the affordability factor has caused many people to avoid this process. The other important factor is that the lack of awareness about the use of the umbilical cord blood bank. This has also played a role in the minimal use of this facility.
Top benefits of umbilical cord blood bank
Umbilical cord blood banking benefits
The benefits of banking cord blood can be classified into various heads. The use of this method in the treatment of certain diseases is one of the benefits. The other one is the cure of certain diseases. Finally, there are many diseases that can be prevented with the use of this blood. The main advantage of this blood that is also known as the umbilical cord blood is the fact that it is rich in stem cells. Though the stem cells are also available in the bone marrow, the stem cells that are harvested from the cord blood are the ones that are very young and much more beneficial.
Places for umbilical cord blood banking
The umbilical cord blood banking can be done in two different kinds of situations. One is the private cord blood banking and the other is the public banking. Each of them has their own advantages. The private banking that is done is used to help in the treatment of diseases in the person whose blood is stored or in the treatment of the family members of the person whose blood was stored. On the other hand, the public cord blood banking is available to store the cord blood of various people. This is used for the purposes of research or in the treatment of the general public.
The bone marrow cells that are taken from the umbilical cord blood are used in the treatment of diseases like leukemia and also immune compromised diseases. The stem cells are the ones that are useful in boosting the immunity of the person. This in turn will decrease the severity of the diseases that are caused by a decrease in the immunity. The bone marrow transplantation, which is the treatment of choice, to induce stem cells into a person is not really simple. This causes the surgery and the treatment to be less beneficial. On the other hand, the cord blood is useful as well as much more beneficial than the bone marrow cells.
Cord blood boosts immunity
The cord blood can help in boosting the immunity of a child suffering from immune compromised diseases. The child who has some kind of irreversible health condition can also be treated using cord blood. The diseases can even be completely cured because of the use of the cord blood that is stored. This is a treatment that has very little side effects too. You can save the life of a child or even an adult who is suffering from various kinds of diseases with cord blood banking. The treatment is effective if the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood are used.
