What is Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood?
The key benefit to stem cells is that they can develop into other types of cells, regenerating damaged systems or creating new growth and development. They also form the foundation of the immune system. This unique property can provide a way to treat some inherited disorders included blood diseases like leukemia, anemia or other genetic conditions.
Newborn umbilical cord blood stem cells can treat disease like bone marrow does. The main advantage of using these newborn stem cells is that they are more primitive than those found in bone marrow, which results in lower rates of rejection if and when they are transplanted.
These stem cells may be able to treat certain diseases or conditions of a parent or sibling, but are not typically able to treat any diseases of the newborn from which they were harvested. This is due to the fact that any genetic abnormalities or diseases that the child later develops will be inherent to their umbilical cord blood as well. For example, if the newborn were to develop leukemia later in childhood, his/her stem cells would also carry this genetic mutation and would not be able to treat the condition. If, however, a sibling developed this disease, it's possible that the stem cells could be used to treat the sibling's disease.
Return
from What is Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood to Cord Blood Banking - Fact,
Fiction
& FAQs
Return to Giving Birth Naturally Home
Return to Giving Birth Naturally Home

