Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Banking: A Valuable Asset for You and Your Family's Future

Abstract

In ancient times, umbilical cord blood was regarded as having little worth and was discarded alongside the placenta. However, this blood contains hematopoietic stem cells that can provide life-saving benefits, according to recent research. Hematopoietic stem cells transplanted from umbilical cord blood have a number of advantages over those transplanted from bone marrow or peripheral blood. In addition, umbilical cord blood recipients may be able to tolerate a greater degree of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) mismatch, and acute graft-versus-host disease is less common with umbilical cord blood transplants than with unrelated bone marrow transplants.