Cord Blood Awareness Month: 10 Facts You Should Know About Cord Blood

This is a collaborative post 

July is National Cord Blood Awareness Month which raises awareness about the importance of your baby’s umbilical cord blood and the powerful stem cells it contains. In honour of Cord Blood Awareness Month, I have partnered up with the UK’s leading cord blood bank, Cells4Life, to share 10 awesome facts about umbilical cord blood.

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1) Your baby’s umbilical cord is possibly the richest source of stem cells they will ever have
That’s right. Your baby’s umbilical cord contains billions of powerful stem cells that can be saved to protect their health throughout their entire life. There is only one chance to save these stem cells, and that’s in the moments straight after birth through cord blood banking.

2) Saving your baby’s umbilical cord could save their life in the future
Stem cells from the umbilical cord are already used to treat more than 80 different conditions and diseases. Many of these include immune disorders and blood cancers, which are now routinely treated with cord blood transplants to help restore and strengthen the immune system after chemotherapy. By saving your baby’s stem cells, you ensure that they have access to these treatments, if and when they need them.

3) Cord blood transplants have been performed for over 30 years
The first cord blood transplant took place in 1988 and was performed to save the life of a 5-year-old boy with Fanconi Anaemia – a rare blood disorder. Since then there have been more than 40,000 cord blood transplants performed worldwide, saving thousands of lives and treating more than 80 different conditions.

4) Saving cord blood is more common than you think
More than 4 million families (and counting) have chosen to store their baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells worldwide. And in the UK, more and more parents are choosing private cord blood banking than ever before. Between 2014 and 2018, a whopping 60% increase was reported in parents choosing to bank their baby’s cord blood – and this number is expected to grow over the coming years.

5) 1 in 3 of us will benefit from regenerative therapy at some point in our lifetime
In 1997, the likelihood of needing regenerative therapy in one’s lifetime was 1 in 2,700. Fast forward to 2020 and this chance has increased to 1 in 3. This could relate to anything from age-related diseases such as arthritis and diabetes to more life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular disease or brain injury. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are considered to be a vital part of future developments in regenerative medicine which could transform the ideas of science fiction into reality.



6) There are nearly 8,000 clinical trials investigating the use of stem cells to treat hundreds of different conditions
Researchers within the realm of stem cells are currently conducting 7,977 clinical trials.

using stem cells to treat hundreds of conditions and diseases. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, hearing loss, spinal cord injury, stroke, – the list is ever-growing. Scientists have even used stem cells to build a human heart from scratch! Early results from these clinical trials have been promising and scientists are hopeful they will provide life-changing treatments for people around the world in years to come.

7) Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used to treat COVID-19
Due to their powerful anti-inflammatory and healing properties, stem cells from umbilical cord blood and tissue are being used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients. There are currently 15 ongoing clinical trials using stem cells from umbilical cord blood, with many hospitals worldwide also trialling it as a treatment for the virus.  Initial results suggest that these stem cells are a safe and effective therapy for alleviating the symptoms of coronavirus.

8) Cord blood banking is compatible with almost all birth plans, including delayed cord clamping
Choosing a birth plan to suit you can be overwhelming at times. The good news is that cord blood banking is compatible with almost every birth choice you can think of. Whether you choose to have a home birth, a c-section, a water birth or a natural birth – you can rest assured that you can save your baby’s precious stem cells. Cord blood banking is even compatible with delayed or optimal cord clamping thanks to Cells4Life’s unique processing technology.

9) Your baby’s cord blood might also be a perfect match for other family members
Whilst your baby’s cord blood is their perfect biological match, it may also be a perfect match for their siblings! There is a 75% chance of your baby’s cord blood being a partial match for a sibling and a 25% chance of a being a perfect match. It could even be a partial match for the parents. That means your baby’s cord blood could provide long-term health protection for all of the family.

10) Cord blood banking is affordable
Many cord blood banks offer a range of affordable pricing packages to accommodate any budget. For example, Cells4Life have a variety of services to choose from so that you can choose what is best for you and your family.

To find out more about the power of your baby’s umbilical cord blood, simply visit cells4life.com

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post 

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