Cord Blood Stem Cells

Cord blood is generally defined as blood contained within the umbilical cord and contiguous placental circulation. These stem cells help the embryo develop into a fully grown baby. As the baby develops, the umbilical cord and the populating red blood cells must also grow and multiply to provide it with nutrition and oxygen.

Cord stem cells can be harvested from the umbilical cord of new-born babies without any risk to mother or infant, and it is a painless procedure. The number of stem cells available for storage relates directly to the volume of cord blood that is collected after birth.

The cells can only be collected for a limited period immediately after birth and the non-invasive procedure takes the physician or gynaecologist around five minutes to perform. The collection can be performed either after natural birth or caesarean section.

The risk of viral infection in the stored stem cells for later usage is considered extremely low if adequate screening procedures are performed pre-birth. For this reason we require the patient to undergo a series of blood tests between two and three weeks prior to delivery date, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis and Cytomegalo Virus. These tests can be performed at any registered pathology laboratory.

It is reported that in terms of current medical knowledge, the probability of an infant requiring stem cells for a bone marrow transplant is in the order of 1:2700. Cord blood stem cells are also the most suitable for donating to other family members, including the parents.

Storing umbilical cord stem cells is an insurance policy for the unlikely event your child becomes ill with a condition treatable with cord blood stem cells.
Cord blood is a rich source of stem cells 'the building blocks of life' which parents are increasingly choosing to store on behalf of their children.