Professor encourages cord-blood donation
DURHAM, N.C. - To donate the stem cell-rich umbilical cord blood produced during the birth of her daughter, Jaime Feaster of Lake Charles, La., would have had to drive more than two hours to the nearest hospital equipped to collect it. That's a long way to go when you're in labor.
Is Cord Blood Banking Right For You?
Saving your baby's umbilical cord blood allows it to be cryogenically stored, and then available if your child later becomes sick and needs a bone marrow transplant. Umbilical cord blood was discarded until the 1970's, when researchers discovered that umbilical cord blood could save lives under certain circumstances. How do you decide on cord blood banking? Many soon-to-be parents ask this very question. Here are some things to consider when deciding on whether or not to bank your baby's umbilical cord blood.
Umbilical Cord Blood: A Precious Resource
The stem cells, found in umbilical cords and placentas, can form new red and white cells in the body's blood and immune systems, explains Dr. Frank Witter, director of labor and delivery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Stem cell transplants can repair the bone marrow of cancer patients after radiation and chemotherapy. Most often, newborn stem cells are used to treat childhood leukemia in an older sibling, he says. In the future, stem cells could be used as potential treatments for Parkinson's disease and heart disease, Witter adds.
Cord Blood Banking Success in a Down Market: Understanding Parent Needs
BioInformant's latest market report, Choices in Cord Blood Banking - Factors Influencing Parental Decision-Making, due out in March, is creating quite a "buzz" in the industry Providing a roadmap for Cord Blood Banks that are struggling with expectant parents that feel an economic 'pinch?, this study explores the reasons that parents of newborn children elect to store their newborn's cord blood and what factors influence their decision-making in choosing a specific blood bank
Cord Blood Bank Sponsors Free Mother's Day Giveaway and Infant CPR Training
Cord Blood Bank Gives Back to Community with Mother's Day Giveway and Free Infant CPR Training