-General Information -Why Save the Umbilical Cord? -Pros and Cons ((Arguments Against Saving the Umbilical Cord)) -Pros and Cons ((Arguments For Saving the Umbilical Cord)) -Concerns -How to Collect Umbilical Cord Blood -After it is Sent to The Blood Bank -FAQ s -References -Pictures -What we think -Ending Slide
*General Information* -the blood contained in the umbilical cord includes special cells called stem cells. -cord blood is stored by freezing and the blood has to be prepared soon after delivery of the baby. -99.9% of the umbilical cords are thrown away -if you agree to have the blood from your baby's umbilical cord frozen and stored for a fee, you can save your child s life -many hospitals are throwing away umbilical cords, but a countless number are saving them -the stem cells, found in umbilical cords can form new red and white cells in the body's blood that fight disease
*Why Save the Umbilical Cord?* -they are rich in stem cells -they can prevent cancer in later years -the stem cells have the potential to save a life -they are easy to collect and available at the birth of every child -it offers many health benefits -the collection is fast, easy, and totally painless -umbilical cord blood stem cells are currently used in the treatment of nearly 40 life threatening diseases
*Pros and Cons* ((Arguments for Saving the Umbilical Cord)) -can treat many diseases -it has allowed doctors to use the stem cells for bone marrow transplants -if a disease appears then the child has a guaranteed cell match in the stored stem cells. -umbilical cord blood is easy and painless to collect for both the mother and the child
*Pros and Cons* ((Arguments against Saving the Umbilical Cord)) -stem cells can last up to 10-15 years. -when they remain frozen, even a power outage can ruin them -its very rare that a child might need to use the stem cell before age 18 -the cost is around $1,500 for collection and $100 every year for storage
*Concerns* *Start Saving for the Future the Minute Your Baby is Born* -Will the transplant ever be needed? -Will my insurance cover the cost? -If I m healthy, is it really worth paying for something, when my child will probably never need it? -Considering the cord blood only lasts for a certain number of years, is it the right thing to keep?
*How to Collect Umbilical Cord Blood* -The delivery of the baby takes place -Then the umbilical cord is clamped, and the baby is separated -The physician will inject a needle into the cord s vein and draw the blood -While the baby is undergoing this, it s completely painless -It takes one to three minutes to complete -Finally, the sample is sent to a blood program
-this is a container of liquid nitrogen..inside are specimens of umbilical cord cells After it is Sent to The Blood Bank After the umbilical cord blood is sent to a Blood Bank the cord blood is -typed,frozen, and stored until it is needed -when a match is identified, the stored cord blood can be shipped to it s proper location.
*FAQ s* Q: What is a stem cell? A: A master cell that is capable of making the major components of human blood. Stem cells give a rise to white blood cells, which fight infection and red cells which carry oxygen. Q: What kinds of diseases can stem cells prevent? A: Leukemia, various anemia's, genetic disorders, osteoporosis, etc. Q: Who should consider storing their child s umbilical cord blood? A: People who have a family history of blood disorders,and history of cancer. Also couples with mixed ethnicity. Q: What happens when a bank receives cord blood? A: The sample is measured, tested for viability, cell count, and blood type. Then stored in liquid nitrogen.
*References* 1.) Author Unknown. Viacord. 2001. www.viacord.com. (5/8/03). 2.) Brenda Rios. Freep. News. Michigan. July 25 th, 2001. www.freep.com (5/8/03) 3.) CORD & Swami Consulting. Questions and Answers. 1998-2000. www.cordbloodforlife.com (5/8/03). 4.) The Cord Blood Team. American Cord Blood Program. 1998 Info@AmericanCordBlood.org (5/8/03)
Now that you have viewed our presentation, we hope that you make the right decision in the long run
By Jenn and Brittany