Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB), which remains in the umbilical vein and placenta after the baby’s birth, is a unique opportunity for families to secure their health. This blood is rich in the most essential building blocks of the body, particularly various types of stem cells necessary for the body’s renewal and restoration. Unfortunately, this valuable material is often lost aimlessly. However, by storing the newborn’s UCB, families can ensure these unique stem cells will be available if necessary. Thus, it is a form of ‘biological insurance policy’ and a potentially effective treatment for many diseases. The power of the umbilical cord blood cells to save lives is truly remarkable.
Stem cells are unique among the cells in the body. They can transform into every specialized cell, including blood, bone, nervous, muscular, skin and more. Usually, during a child’s growth, these cells ensure the formation of organs and tissues. In adults, they lead to the renewal and restoration of worn and damaged organs and tissues. The newborn has a large population of stem cells, but with age, this number decreases. Hence, the body’s ability to renew and restore the damaged parts due to age and disease is irreversibly reduced. Due to such properties, stem cells are given much attention in medical practice. The regenerative effect of stem cells determines their use in treating many diseases, including oncological, neurological, genetic, orthopedic, and others. Based on the results of active clinical trials worldwide, the range of diseases stem cells successfully treat is constantly increasing.
Collecting and storing umbilical cord blood is a straightforward and safe process. After the baby’s birth, the midwife collects the blood in a specialized container designed for the umbilical cord. Typically, the amount of blood collected ranges from 50-150 ml. This procedure is painless and poses no risk to the mother or newborn. The collected blood is then transported to a laboratory within 24 hours, where it undergoes processing and is stored at -1960C in liquid nitrogen. This ultra-low temperature ensures that the stem cells in the umbilical cord’s blood retain their biological activity indefinitely. They are always ready for thawing and use whenever the need arises.
The match of donor and recipient histological (HLA) compatibility systems is essential for successful stem cell transplantation. For a newborn, one’s umbilical cord blood is perfectly compatible. The probability of compatibility in siblings is very high at 1:4, meaning that the blood of the stored umbilical cord in 25% of cases is fully compatible with the sibling. The probability of biological compatibility of non-related individuals is very low, at 1:70000. It should be noted that the development of transplant technologies made it possible to carry out haplo-identical (i.e., 50% compatible) transplants. Thus, a parent and a semi-compatible sibling can use blood. Similarly, these technologies will make it easier to transplant even if there is a non-compatible (less than 50%) donor and recipient. Therefore, in some cases, it will be possible to use UCB for a wider circle of recipients, primarily for family members and relatives.
To date, evidence-based medicine has recognized umbilical blood as an effective treatment for many diseases. Among them, it is worth noting the following conditions:
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Leukemias, Lymphomas, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Aplastic Anemias
- Transplantation in case of primary immunodeficiencies (acute combined immunodeficiency, Wiscott-Oldrich syndrome, chronic granulomatous disease)
- Transplantation in several congenital metabolic disorders (type I mucopolysaccharidosis, Krabbe’s disease, metachromatic leukodystrophy)
- Thalassemias and sickle anemia
- Genital cell tumors (ovarian and testicular cancers)
- Autoimmune diseases (intensive studies are underway in cases of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases)
Tens of thousands of UCB transplants have already been performed worldwide in more than 70 different cases of specific diseases.
The blood cells of the umbilical cord have an unlimited ability to multiply and transform into any cell of the body. Therefore, they can replace the damaged parts of any human organs and organ systems. As technology develops, the range of medical use of stem cells will continuously increase, as the replacement of damaged cells will alleviate most diseases. There are currently more than 7,000 scientific studies underway in the field of stem cell treatment. Depending on the results of these studies, soon, umbilical blood stem cells might be used in the following diseases:
- Neurological diseases such as cerebral palsy, autism, traumatic spine and brain injuries, ischemic brain injuries, neurodegenerative diseases
- Liver diseases, including cirrhosis, liver failure, and metabolic liver diseases.
- Pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Vascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, heart failure
- Orthopedic conditions, bone and cartilage regeneration, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and bone fractures.
Geocord is a leader in umbilical cord blood storage. Our bank has been operating for the second decade and has maintained thousands of umbilical cord blood units. This results from the tremendous trust of parents we have earned over the years. Each umbilical cord blood unit stored with us undergoes special processing, namely the additional enrichment step, during which the maximum number of stem cells in the final blood concentrate is preserved. All procedures at Geocord are based on the latest international medical and scientific knowledge, and the bank is equipped with the leading technologies and facilities in this industry. Geocord is an ISO-certified organization and a permanent Cord Blood Association (CBAmember.
The umbilical cord blood stored in Geocord is tested for sterility and viral pathogens. In particular, blood is tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C and B viruses, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Also, blood is evaluated for cell viability and the content of stem cells.
