Cord Blood Bank and Stem Cell

Umbilical Cord Blood

The umbilical cord is is the cord which connects an embroyo to the womb of its mother.

Photo of is property of Reinout van Rees

Blood containing nutrients and oxygen is carried from the mother to foetus and carbon dioxide and waste is carried away. If the umbilical cord is not prematurely clamped after birth, a physiological clamping will occur after birth caused by contact with cold air. Wharton's jelly (gelatinous substance, will swell around the umbilical blood vessels at the opposite ends of the umbilical cord and trap some blood between the opposing ends.

Umbilical Cord harvesting

Almost 200ml of umbilical blood can be harvested (collected) from the umbilical cord. Many believes hematopoietic cells (stem cells which can develop into different types of cells) in the umbilical cord' blood can be used to treat various types of serious illness of the infant and its family as well as strangers. Note that this is controversial. Note also

Umbilical cord blood bank

There are cord blood banks which provide services to save the cord blood for future uses. There are many such cord blood banks using cryogenic (very cold technology) to store cord blood and CryoCell cord blood bank and currently they have a cord bank special offer.

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