Stem Cells Can Make A Difference

Storing your children’s stem cells can save lives in the future. Here’s what you need to know, says Libbie Joubert

- Libbie Joubert

EVERYTHING IN YOUR body, from your bones to your brain, developed from a single stem cell. A stem cell has an unlimited ability to increase without changing and any kind of cell or organ can develop from a certain kind of stem cell.

Stem cells therefore have the amazing ability to find damaged cells in the body and to replace or change them into new, healthy cells of the same kind as the damaged ones.

Here’s how you can protect your baby against future diseases by storing his stem cells.

WHY HARVEST AT BIRTH?

Your baby’s birth is a golden opportunity to gain access to his stem cells. While these wonder cells can be extracted from the blood of older children and adults, they need to be a suitable match. Stem cells that are harvested later also aren’t as healthy as the ones that are obtained from the umbilical cord blood at birth.

The stem cells that are collected at birth can duplicate and differentiate into specialised cells better than older stem cells harvested from adults.

COLLECTING BLOOD AFTER BIRTH

Harvesting stem cells from umbilical cord blood and cord tissue is a simple process carried out by a doctor or midwife. Most medical staff, especially in larger private hospitals, will have experience in this. MyNurse is a service that collects the greatest volume of umbilical cord blood and cord tissue at birth, and helps the obstetrician or midwife with the logistics of the collection. MyNurse collectors are registered nurses, trained to apply collection techniques in order to maximise the number of cells harvested. This increases the chances of having enough stem cells for any possible future transplant.

HOW MUCH BLOOD IS NEEDED?