Get the facts. Cord blood facts.
Cord blood stem cells are a valuable medical resource for numerous reasons:
- Cord blood is a rich, natural, controversy-free source of life-saving stem cells.
- Cord blood has no political or religious issues.
- The collection of cord blood does not harm the mother or child and does not interfere with the birthing process.
- Umbilical cord blood is currently used to treat over 80 life-threatening illnesses, including many cancers, immune deficiencies and genetic disorders.
- Unlike embryonic stem cells (taken from an embryo), cord blood is not controversial or unethical in any way because it is only collected post-birth.
- Recent research has shown tremendous promise for cord blood stem cells to be used in regenerative medicine to treat autism, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, hearing loss, diabetes and more.
- Cord blood is easier to collect, store and access quickly for a transplant.
- Cord blood stem cells have fewer matching criteria than bone marrow stem cells.
- Research has shown that in stem cell transplants where only one cord blood unit is used there is significantly less risk of GvHD (Graft versus Host Disease) for patients versus those undergoing a bone marrow transplant. In transplants where two cord blood units are used the risk of acute GvHD is comparable to bone marrow and other methods (read more about this research here).
- Recent studies have shown that there is less risk of a relapse for certain diseases if cord blood is used (read about it here).
