Whether you opt for private or public cord-blood banking, doctors say the blood shouldn’t be wasted.
Would you bank your baby’s cord blood if you knew that it might save his life, or the life of another family member, sometime in the future?
More Singaporean couples are. In fact, Dr Ashish Munjal, chief executive officer of Cryoviva Singapore, says that cord-blood banking numbers are on the rise worldwide, as more parents become aware of the benefits of the procedure. Cryoviva is one of three private cord-blood banks in Singapore, which keep the donor’s cord blood exclusively for a family’s use, for a fee. The others are Cordlife and Stemcord.
How does it save lives?
Cord blood is the blood that remains in a baby’s umbilical cord and placenta following his birth. The blood, which carried nutrients to the baby while he was in his mother’s womb, is rich in haematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells and the matrixes of other primitive stem cells, and is known to help regenerate and rejuvenate the blood and immune system.
These stem cells can be preserved, and if needed, later transplanted to a compatible recipient, such as the baby, his sibling or another family member, to treat disorders such as cerebral palsy, diabetes and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, says Dr Ashish.
Research has also revealed the potential of cord-blood stem cells to treat brain injuries and juvenile diabetes.
Once banked, cord blood can be accessed at any time in the future to assist in life-saving transplants. The stem cells in cord blood are similar to those found in adult bone marrow, which is why they are increasingly considered an alternative to it.
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