Umbilical Cord Bank

During a natural vaginal delivery birth, the umbilical cord and palcenta are usually delivered up to 30 minutes after the vaginal delivery of the newborn baby. In the majority of cases, this placenta and umbilical cord is inspected by the midwife or obstetrician to determine if any part has been torn are remains within the uterine wall or if there is anything unusual about this particular organ, which may provide evidence of potential disease or illness for the newborn. After this, the placenta and cord are both usually discarded.

Since the late 70s it was discovered that placental blood and umbilcal cord blood has the same haematopoeitic stem cells which are only found in bone marrow and are also capable of producing three different types of blood cells:

White blood cells

Red blood cells

Platelets

Throughout the past 30-40 years research has been conducted on umbilcal cord blood and stem cells control, and it has been discovered that these stem cells hold the key to solving many medical illnesses and diseases.

Because of this, many people are electing to either donate their baby’s umbilical cord blood and placental blood for research or for public donors. Others are storing their baby’s umblical cord blood in special private umbilical cord blood banks, with the view that it will provide a certain level of health insurance against certain cancers and medical diseases known to be cured with the stem cells found in umbilical cord blood.