When your baby is born, the umbilical cord holds blood that is rich in stem cells. At Platinum Women’s Health in Murrieta and Temecula, California, James Neal, MD, and Florence Villa Quinata, MD, offer cord blood banking services to safely store your cord blood in case you, your baby, or another member of your family develops a condition that would benefit from stem cell therapy. If you want to learn more about this safe process, call Platinum Women’s Health or schedule a consultation online today.
Cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing the blood from the umbilical cord when your baby is born. The process is quick and safe for both you and your baby and provides a store of stem cells that anyone in your family may benefit from in the future.
The blood and fluids that travel through the umbilical cord to your baby are rich in stem cells, which are the primary cellular building blocks of your body. Stem cells are unique in that they can turn into whatever type of cell your body needs. In addition to helping repair damaged tissue, stem cells can also boost your immune system and may be used to combat leukemia and other inherited health problems.
Medical researchers and physicians are making advances in regenerative medicine practices every day. Stem cells are often a critical part of regenerative medicine treatments because of their unique ability to adapt to your body’s needs. Stem cells collected from umbilical cord blood aren’t quite as plentiful as those found in bone marrow, but they offer a variety of other benefits:
Ultimately, the decision to collect and store cord blood and stem cells is personal. Your obstetrician can talk to you about the process and the benefits of cord blood banking. Even if you don’t want to store your cord blood for your family’s use, you could donate the blood to help other people and families in need.
Dr. Neal or Dr. Quinata can collect your cord blood soon after your baby is born. After the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, your doctor can use a syringe to extract the cord blood.
The collection doesn’t interfere with your delivery and poses no health risk to you or your baby. The collection must take place within 15 minutes of your baby’s birth, and the blood must be cryogenically frozen and stored in an accredited blood or stem cell bank.
If you want to learn more about umbilical cord blood banking and if it’s right for your family, call Platinum Women’s Health or schedule a consultation online today.
