Let’s hear what physicians say about stem cord blood

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Despite all controversies, despite all odds, there are several reasons to store the child’s umbilical cord blood for a safer tomorrow. Even if the parents have another child, it might be a little expensive still it is always recommendable to store the cord blood. Parent will find thousand reasons to store the umbilical cord blood. Moreover if you want to donate the blood no work can be as noble as this. However, most parents prefer to preserve the blood for their own child. Further the blood may be required for any of the relatives or for the sibling too.

More than 70 diseases including childhood leukemias to sickle cell anemia may be treated with the cord blood cell.

Counsel from CorCell said: "The first and most important investment in your baby's future health” Steven Joffe MD MPH of Dana Faber says that: "Physicians who perform hematopoietic cell transplants in children are well positioned to judge the advisability of private cord blood banking, but their views had never been systematically sought and collected". He even adds: "We found that these physicians have performed relatively few transplants involving privately banked cord blood, and that their position on such banking is generally in line with that of larger medical organizations." In a study Joffe concluded by saying : "In the absence of a family member known to be a candidate for stem cell transplantation, the chances that privately banked cord blood will be used are quite small” and "Families need to balance the high cost of banking such blood against the remote odds of its ever being needed. Pediatricians, family physicians, obstetricians, nurse midwives, and other professionals who work with families should educate parents about the medical community's consensus view on this issue."

Dr. Lubin’s view on use and preservation of umbilical cord blood cells is that: “Physicians have a responsibility to suggest sibling cord blood banking in cases where a current child in the family could potentially benefit from a cord blood transplant, a view that is consistent with AAP's current policy statement. Where programs exist, donation of cord blood to public banks should be encouraged”.

Dr. Charles J. Lockwood who is the head of the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale University, New Haven says that: "The only group to whom [private cord blood banking] could be recommended without hesitation are families with prior children affected by genetic or acquired conditions amenable to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation".

The invention itself is very new. In the coming years parent will be more encouraged to preserve the umbilical cord blood cell. The number of parent preserving their child’s cord blood will definitely increase from the number today. Few doctors may be a little skeptical in using the cord blood but the invention has definitely changed the face of human science. In the year 1988 the first successful stem cells transplantation was done. It was done for a child of 5 years who was suffering from Fanconi’s anemia. The cord blood was taken from her sibling. Hence Parents need to preserve the cord blood to safeguard their child’s future.