Blood packed with stem cells similar to ones found in bone marrow
After a baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut, ever wonder where that umbilical cord ends up? Most of the time, it becomes waste.
But that cord has some valuable resources that can save a life. The blood that is found in it is called umbilical cord blood or cord blood for short. It contains all the normal elements of blood, such as red and white blood cells and it is also jam packed with stem cells, similar to the ones found in bone marrow.
Here are some benefits of using cord blood in treating diseases, such as leukemia or sickle cell disease.
According to James E. Baumgartner, MD, a pediatric surgeon at Florida Hospital in Orlando, Florida, “Birth is pretty exciting, it’s pretty dramatic. A lot of things are happening.”
One of those things that people rarely hear about is the option to donate cord blood. Bone marrow and cord blood contain the same type of stem cells, but those from cord blood have more advantages. Since stem cells from cord blood are less mature than stem cells from an adult’s bone marrow, a recipient’s body is less likely to reject them.