FOR MOMS-TO-BE, CORD BLOOD BANKING MAY BE A LIFESAVING DECISION
Women who are about to give birth may now opt to save their children’s cord blood—the blood that remains in the umbilical cord after birth—in the event the kids need it later to treat fatal genetic diseases such as leukemia and other blood-related diseases.
Today, this is a lifesaving decision that moms-to-be need to make as they prepare for the arrival of their little ones.
This is even more essential if their families have a history of such diseases, which may be passed on to their babies. For many families, this is an investment worth looking into.
Healthiest stem cells
Cord blood contains the healthiest stem cells that can replenish blood, regenerate damaged bone marrow, treat blood cancers and correct genetic de- fects.
Also called “placental blood,” the umbilical cord functions as a lifeline between mother and child during pregnancy. It is also a potential source for cellular therapy and regenerative medicine.
Cord blood banking in the Philippines is made possible with Cordlife Philippines (www.cordlife.ph), the country’s first and only private cord blood processing and cryopreservation facility. Established in 2010, the bank aims to give Filipino families the chance to benefit from the advantages of having a readily available supply of cord blood.
In the Philippines, leukemia is one of the leading causes of death. In 2012 alone, some 3,977 were diagnosed with the disease. The mortality rate is at an alarming 5.3 percent. Fortunately, stem cell transplant using cord blood is one of the treatments that has successfully beat leukemia.
Aside from leukemia, there are more than 80 diseases that have been proven treatable with stem cells. They include solid tumors, non-malignant blood disorders, immune disorders, and other metabolic disorders such as osteoporosis.
Storing cord blood
In the Philippines, parents have two options when it comes to storing cord blood. The first one is to have technicians separate stem cells from the cord blood manually by the traditional method of cell sedimentation and spin. The second option is to have stem cells separated using the fully automated and closed Sepax system from Biosafe. Either way, the final component is the buffy coat layer of the blood, which holds both white cells and stem cells.
To create awareness on cord blood banking’s importance as an available standard option for families who may need stem cell transplant, Cordlife recently launched One Blood.
A partnership with the Philippine Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine (PSMFM), One Blood is a national advocacy which offers free cord blood banking to chosen pregnant mothers with family history of diseases or with family members with diseases that can be treated by cord blood.
Cordlife Group Limited owns and operates five cord blood laboratories—each in Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.