There has been an abundance of controversy over the topic of stem cell research over the past 10 to 15 years. Some people have been fighting that the idea of it is almost creepy, as it has been suggested by many that the basic premise is to create clones at some point in the future. Other people, such as doctors and scientists have made a case that stem cell research is going to create ground breaking cures for a wealth of different illnesses, especially in children. Whilst there is more than likely wealth of labs all over the world participating in this type of research, you may want to gear up on a bit of knowledge so you will understand why your physician may question you about your child’s umbilical cord. Cord Blood Explained Most people know the obvious, that a baby is nourished by way of the umbilical cord during pregnancy. However, many people are not aware that the umbilical cord does not only pass vital nutrients to the baby, it also goes back into the mother’s veins, becomes clarified and revitalized, and is then used again. Essentially, the blood that flows to the baby, then back to the mother and so forth is a continuous cycle. This is why in some cases doctors will request samples of blood directly from the umbilical cord. This happens most commonly during fetal distress and can be used to identify problems that may not be readily seen on other tests. For example, oftentimes an issue which is causing respiratory problems may be found within that blood sample. How Could This Have an Effect on My Child? Now that the issue of cord blood is a bit clearer, it stands to reason that cord blood may just be the future in curing a number of ailments. This is because the same stem cells which people have been arguing for years over are present in the umbilical cord. What this means is that research can be continued without the controversy as to how stem cells are obtained. Because umbilical cord blood is so pure, lacking exposure to the outside environment, many scientists feel it could be a key to making new discoveries about cancer and a number of other tragic illnesses. If your child should become ill at some point in the future, having his or her umbilical cord blood stored at an umbilical blood cord donor center could help. Locating a Reputable Blood Cord Bank Finding a cord blood bank that will serve you and your family well is quite important. Because one never knows what the future may hold, it is vital to be certain your baby’s umbilical cord blood is in good hands. These days everyone is a bit paranoid about off scientific experiments and so forth. If you are one of these people then do some investigating to see which cord blood bank you think would be best to use. Yes, umbilical cord blood can be a huge part of helping your child, or even someone else’s in the future, but you want to be safe nonetheless. Source
