Why You Need More Than Just Cord Blood Banking
Many expecting parents know that they have a lot to protect and seek peace of mind and security from cord blood banking. Are all cord blood banking services really the same? Does the type of cord blood banking service affect the potential use and benefit of the banked product for your newborn or family?
If you’re an expecting parent you may have already been approached by a cord blood banking company promising you the highest stem cell recovery, often referred to as TNC (Total Nucleated Cell) count or recovery. While many cord blood banking companies mention that the goal of cord blood banking is saving as many stem cells as possible, they may fail to mention specifically which stem cells can benefit your child should a potentially life-saving stem cell transplant be needed. In a 2006 published study of 826 cord blood units, several cord blood units had more than 40% nucleated red blood cells, which in cord blood have no benefit and can lead to complications when the cord blood unit is used to treat a potentially life-threatening disease or condition. Some cord blood banks leave significant amounts of red blood cells in cord blood units, artificially inflating the TNC count with nucleated red blood cells. Instead of focusing on TNC, expecting parents considering cord blood banking should choose a cord blood banking service that can offer them the opportunity to collect as many CD34+ stem cells as possible, which studies have shown are the blood forming cells that matter most for transplant success and patient survival in the treatment of potentially life-threatening diseases and conditions.
Expecting parents have a greater chance of collecting the most CD34+ stem cells possible by banking from two sources: the placenta and the cord blood. This procedure, which is known as Placenta-Cord banking, can potentially result in an increased total number of CD34+ stem cells banked. The placenta is up to 15 times richer in CD34+ stem cells than cord blood. LifebankUSA is currently the only cord blood banking company that processes and stores stem cells from two of the richest sources of blood forming CD34+ stem cells: the placenta and the cord blood.
admin @ August 1, 2008