One of the hottest trends in medicine today is cord blood banking. It has been gaining immense popularity since the first cord blood has been transfused last 1988. What are actually in the cord blood that is very important are stem cells. Stem cells are precursor cells. It facilitates regeneration of blood cells. Stem cell transfusion is most commonly done in leukemia. In order to facilitate production of healthy blood cells, stem cells are harvested from a donor bone marrow and transfused to the receiver. But it has been discovered that stem cell transfusion could address a lot of health problems. Several studies are being done regarding this.
The umbilical cord of a new born baby after it has been cut is rich in stem cells. The remaining blood is harvested and collected. The blood is sent to a cord blood bank where it will be processed and preserved for future use. Cord blood banking was officially set up by NHS in 1996. Cord blood banking facilitates the process of collecting, blood processing, preserving and distribution of cord blood. At present, there has been several cord blood banks that have been established in almost all states in the US and all over the UK. This has been due to the encouragement of both government and medical sectors and because of the benefits it can provide for the future of medicine.
There are actually two types of cord blood banking. We have the public and the private. The donor may choose to donate the cord blood to a public cord blood bank without any amount charged to them. The process of collection and preservation is free but the blood will be available to the general public. When the donor chooses a private cord blood bank, the donated blood is specifically available for the donor or relatives. But the private blood bank charges a substantial amount for collection, processing and preservation.
It has been predicted that by the year 2015 there will be an average of 10,000 cord blood transplantation per year worldwide. This will be through the resources of the public cord blood banks. That is why both government and private agencies are encouraging wider repository activities in all states through public cord blood banking. There has also been a lot of information dissemination being done on the advantages of cord blood banking in order to encourage pregnant women to volunteer.