Wednesday 25 June 2014

Umbilical cord stem cells as a boon for life threatening diseases


Stem cell banking is the perfect gift parents can give to their children. It offers protection against various disorders, including thalassaemia, degenerative diseases like spinal cord injury, arthritis, sickle cell disease, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. If parents bank their baby's cord blood at birth, it can also be used for treatment of diseases like Alzheimer, Leukemia, Diabetes, Breast Cancer and Parkinson's.
  
According to medical experts, incidence of diseases like Heart ailments and Diabetes is high in Indians and umbilical cord blood can be a boon in curing these diseases not just for the child but also for the entire family. The potential of stem cells is also high in the prevention of 'Graft vs Host Diseases'.

Adult stem cells obtained from cord blood are the youngest cells, having highest life-saving potential. These cells can be collected, processed and cryogenically stored for future use, which makes umbilical cord blood extremely useful in lifesaving transplant treatments.

Popularity of cord blood banking in India is growing as expectant parents are realizing the value of this procedure. Various stem cell banks in India are opening up and efforts are being made to spread more awareness about the benefits of stem cell banking.

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