1 in 3 women have given birth in the Hospital de La Ribera in 2011 donated blood from her umbilical cord to the Bank of the Valencian Community

with about 800 units of blood, Alzira is the second Center of all the Valencian Community with the highest number of donations.

-La Ribera is integrated into the global network of umbilical cord blood banks and encourages the donation during pregnancy to inform the patient of the importance of this action altruistic.

-blood extracted from the umbilical cord is very valuable for the treatment of certain types of cancer and congenital diseases because it contains ‘ stem cell ’ specializing in the renovation of the cell blood.

-the collection does not imply ningcommon risk to the mother or the baby and takes place provided that the circumstances of childbirth are favourable and prior consent of the mother.

Alzira, January 2012- 1 of every 3 women have given birth at the Hospital Universitario de La Ribera in 2011 donated blood from her umbilical cord to the Valencian Community Blood Bank for further processing, storage and distribution to national and international health centres.

In this way, the Hospital of Alzira reached last year 760 blood donations among the more than 2,400 births attended, what has become the second throughout the Valencian Community in number of donations of umbilical cord blood to this health centre.

These data have been possible thanks to the solidarity of the patients and the active participation of the staff of La Ribera, which encourages the donation of blood during pregnancy and at the time of childbirth informing women of the importance of this altruistic action.

According to experts, the importance of these donations is that blood extracted from the umbilical cord is very valuable for the treatment of certain types of cancer and diseases of congenital character it contains ‘ stem cell ’ specialized in the renewal of the blood cells.

Hospital Universitario de La Ribera is integrated into the global network of umbilical cord blood banks. Through this agreement, La Ribera and the blood bank have protocolizados all the procedures to follow for the extraction of the blood and his subsequent transfer and treatment.

Use of umbilical cord blood

According to experts, the blood which is extracted from the umbilical cord is very cherished by the high number of stem cells (specializing in the renovation of the blood cells), capable of generating red blood cells (for transporting oxygen), WBCs (to defend against infectious agents) and platelets (which encourage clotting and prevent bleeding).

That is why this type of blood is essential in the treatment of certain diseases of congenital nature and specific types of cancers, including leukemia, both children and adults.

In these types of cancer, treatment obliges the administration of chemotherapy in very high doses, which eliminates both cancer cells and healthy cells, so it is needed infusion of stem cells to the patient regain the ability to produce new blood.

With cells from the umbilical cord blood is less likely a complication called graft disease versus host, in which the donor cells attack the tissues of the recipient.

This process does not imply any risk to the mother or the baby and takes place provided that the circumstances of childbirth are favourable and prior consent signed by the mother.