This is a collaborative post with Cells4Life.
Pregnancy is an exciting time filled with anticipation and planning, with every decision aimed at ensuring the best for your new family. However, for many parents there is one decision that is often overlooked, simply because they are unaware of it: newborn stem cell banking. But what exactly are stem cells and why should you consider banking them?
What Are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are the building blocks of life. They have the power to repair and replace damaged, diseased and dead tissues. What sets stem cells apart from other cells is their ability to differentiate into different cell types and their ability to self-renew to produce more stem cells. These abilities make stem cells essential for maintaining and regenerating the body’s tissues throughout life.
There are many different types of stem cells, each with their own unique abilities which could be beneficial in many different areas of medicine. For example, haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are blood stem cells which have the ability to self-renew to create more HSCs or they can create red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets which are responsible for carrying oxygen, fighting infection, and clotting respectively. These stem cells play a pivotal role in maintaining blood health and are widely used in the treatment of blood cancers such as leukaemia, anaemias, and immune disorders. HSCs are found in peripheral blood, bone marrow, and umbilical cord blood.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can also self-renew and they can differentiate into different tissue types. These stem cells can be found in the “Wharton’s jelly”, a gelatinous substance inside the umbilical cord itself. Research suggests that these cells could hold great promise for future medical breakthroughs including regenerating organ tissues.
What Can Be Banked At Birth?
For most births, once the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut and then the other materials of birth are discarded as medical waste. However, biobanking is an option, and choosing to bank more than one can maximise the variety and quantity of stem cells available to your family.
Cord Blood: A Lifesaving Source of Haematopoietic Stem Cells
Cord blood is the richest, purest source of stem cells your baby will ever have. The stem cells in cord blood can be used to treat over 80 conditions including blood cancers, immune disorders, blood disorders, and metabolic conditions.
Cord Tissue: Rich in Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Cord tissue, rich in Mesenchymal stem cells, has been used in early clinical trials for various conditions with promising results including autism, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and sepsis.
Placenta Banking: A Powerful Source of Regenerative Cells
Chorionic Villi are tree-like structures found within the placenta. They are rich in placental cells. Research into their medical applications is still in the early stages. However, placental cells are showing promise in treating a growing list of conditions, including heart disease, Crohn’s disease, and Type 2 Diabetes.
Amnion Banking: Potential for Advanced Healing and Tissue Regeneration
The amnion is the inner layer of the placenta and contains stem cells and proteins that help with healing and reduce inflammation. Unlike other sources of stem cells, amnion cells don’t require HLA matching, which makes them easier to use for various treatments. They can be helpful for things like skin grafts, wound healing, and eye conditions, offering exciting possibilities for future medical care.
Why Biobank Newborn Stem Cells?
By choosing to biobank your baby’s stem cells with a private bank like Cells4Life, you ensure that your baby will have access to a perfect stem cell match if they ever require an autologous transplant. In addition, there is up to a 75% chance of a partial match and 25% of a perfect match to your baby’s siblings. Furthermore, compared to other sources such as bone marrow or peripheral blood, cord blood stem cells are easier to match to others.
While no parent wishes for their child to fall ill, cord blood banking offers peace of mind akin to an insurance policy, a safeguard against unforeseen circumstances. Research suggests that cord blood stem cells can be stored for decades, with no known expiration on their viability, giving access to these cells in old age when they are most likely to be beneficial. Additionally, they will have access to any new treatments discovered during this time. Storing your baby’s newborn cells in a private bank ensures they are exclusively available to your baby and their family.
Unlike stem cells, amnion cells do not require HLA matching and can be used to treat unmatched members of the family.
Does Newborn Stem Cell Banking Affect My Birth Plan?
Choosing to store your baby’s stem cells and amnion is a simple process. After the baby has been born and the cord has been cut, the placenta and cord are taken away for collection, allowing you to focus on bonding with your baby. A dedicated courier will take the cells away for processing.
The service is compatible with home births, private and NHS hospital births, caesarean section births, “natural” births, multiple births, and more. Choosing to store your baby’s stem cells simply becomes part of your birth plan.
An Informed Decision
Unless parents choose to bank their baby’s stem cells, they are typically thrown away as medical waste. Discarding this valuable resource due to lack of awareness is unfortunate, and every parent should have the opportunity to make a well-informed decision, making a decision based on the best interests of their family, ensuring that all parents are empowered to make informed choices. After all, the only chance to store these valuable stem cells is at birth.
