Myths and realities about the preservation of umbilical cord

Madrid, 2011-July birthweight baby, parents can make the decision to conserve the stem cells from the blood of the umbilical cord as a possible source of healing for the future.

There are already several studies that have shown that cord blood cell transplant is as effective as other treatments of frontline for diseases such as leukemia, for example. This primarily concerns from bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells.

But what are the stem cells from umbilical cord blood? It’s not specialized cells that have the ability to turn into many different body cell types. When the stem cells found in the umbilical cord and placenta are divided, each new cell may remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell or a heart cell.

Below, Dr. Rafael Cabrera, medical director of IVIDA, responds to the most common questions that make families considering retaining the umbilical cord of their children.

Umbilical cord stem cells do can provide treatment for all diseases?

FALSE. Umbilical cord stem cells may heal up 85 diseases related to blood such as leukemias, lymphomas or anemias; but they would not be useful for any other pathology that was not blood. The current lines of research are aimed at use in regenerative medicine.

you can effectively losing the sample from the moment that is removed unless it is processed in the laboratory?

TRUE. After 48 hours from the extraction, decreases cell viability be the Bank you choose to store the sample in Spain, have capacity of processing 365 days a year and that the samples are transported in cold according to the requirements of the National Plan of Umbilical cord blood is very important. In IVIDA, we process the samples in average less than 24 hours.

can serve as cells to perform any kind of autotransplantation?

FALSE. Autologous stem cell is only indicated for treating haematological diseases. In diseases with genetic basis cannot be this type of transplantation because cord blood also contains the disease. However, there is a limited number of diseases that have no genetic basis for that if it can be done an autotransplantation.

transplantation of cord blood sibling compatible than with a non related donor is more effective?

TRUE. According to studies published so far, the transplant of compatible sibling umbilical cord blood is more effective with a donor not related due to the survival rate is higher and the lower rejection rate.

In urgent cases and children, the transplantation of cord blood cells presents more benefits of transplantation of bone marrow full, because reducing the complications and increases the survival of transplanted patients.

Umbilical cord blood is a simple and painless process

TRUE. The process of extraction of cells from the cord is a completely painless procedure both for the mother and the baby because there is no nerve endings in the umbilical cord. On the other hand, when extracted the stem cells from the marrow spinal Yes that is an invasive procedure and painful. The extraction is performed when both are out of danger.

you can store the sample in Spain in private for exclusive use of the family banks?

FALSE. In Spain, the law determines that every unit of umbilical cord blood stored in Spanish territory is for public use and are registered with REDMO, Spanish bone marrow donor registry, to make them available to universal. For this reason, private banks have to send samples abroad, where you will find definitively, although it is not impediment to make already 25,000 families that seven years decide to engage the services of collection, analysis and transfer of stem cells from the baby through banks private IVIDA.