Enroll in the program. Cord blood preservation was named by Harvard University as one of the most important medical discoveries in the last decade. Many leading medical experts advocate the collection and preservation of babies' cord blood stem cells, for the potential future medical benefit of the newborn or possibly other family members. In fact, since The Journal of the National Cancer Institute wrote these words, thousands of medical caregivers have participated in the collection of umbilical cord blood. Cord blood is collected at the time of birth, after the cord is cut, with no pain or risk to mother or baby.
Stem cells are the building blocks of our blood and immune systems.
They form the white cells that fight infection, red cells that carry oxygen throughout the body and platelets that promote healing. Stem cells are found in our bone marrow where they continue to generate cells throughout our lives. Scientists have now discovered that the blood remaining in a baby's umbilical cord, which is typically discarded at birth, is a rich source of stem cells. Cryopreserving your newborn's umbilical cord blood stem cells could provide a potential medical benefit. This is especially important for ethnic minorities, which have been under-represented on the National Marrow Donor Program.