What Is Cord Blood ? | Public Cord Blood Bank

Cord blood is blood collected from the newborn's placenta after birth. The cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord after cutting. This blood was until recently considered medical waste. Today it is recognized as a unique treasure of stem cells which can be collected and preserved for use in transplants in deathly ill patients. No pain or risks are involved in the collection of cord blood. In 1988, Dr. Gluckman performed the first stem cell transplant obtained from cord blood in France to a girl with Fanconi Anemia. In 1993, the first cord blood transplant by an unrelated donor was done by Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg of Duke University in a leukemia patient. Duke is today the biggest cord blood transplant center in the world.

In following years, over 20,000 cord blood transplants have been done from units in public banks. Use of cord blood in bone marrow transplants is one the rise. Today, over 50% of bone marrow transplants in children and 20% in adults are from cord blood stem cells. With the development of new technologies and the growth of public cord blood banks, more and more of the sick can be helped with cord blood.

Many expectant couples deliberate over preserving the cord blood and question the private vs. public cord blood donation.

Since the first transplant, and the publication of research which gave hope to healing various illnesses via cord blood transplants, many cord blood banks were founded around the world to collect and freeze the blood for future use. Private cord blood banks offer the expectant mother a collection service for a fee of a few thousand shekels and freezing the blood for an additional annual charge. Medical institutions do not recommend preserving cord blood for private use as there is a very small chance of their being used. There is no accepted or proven use for autologous transplantation and all published information on this topic is misleading or unsubstantiated. (See: Why Public Cord Blood Banks).

At the same time, public cord blood banks were established around the world. They collect cord blood with the consent of the mothers and after testing the blood for existing infection and checking the medical and genetic history in order to ensure maximum quality of the preserved unit. These will be saved for transplantation in the event of a match. Public cord blood banks publish the cord blood unit details in national and international registries so that when a transplant is needed a match can quickly be located. Many sick individuals in need of a bone marrow transplant cannot find a match in the blood donor's registry and often the solution is found in the public cord blood banks. Public cord blood banks are especially important to minorities and ethnic groups and others who aren't sufficiently represented in the international bone marrow registries.

The main factors contributing to the impressive growth in this field are that with cord blood transplants, full genetic matching of tissue type isn't necessary compared to bone marrow or peripheral blood transplants, its immediate availability as a stored item providing a solution to patients in need of an emergency transplant. The public cord blood bank Bedomaich Chayi was founded in 2006 in order to provide for the needs of Israel's sick. The public cord blood bank Bedomaich Chayi collects cord blood donations in a few hospitals and the units are available for search in international registries and are a part of the world's bank for the good of humanity and the sick around the world.

This site was opened to provide accurate and professional information about cord blood and we hope you will find answers to any questions you may have. You are welcome to get in touch with us by contact us.

 

Stem cell sources in bone marrow/cord blood transplants
from 'stranger' donations around the world.
25% of transplants in 2009 were from cord blood !

Hematopoietic transplants in children (till age 18) from the USA bank NMDP,
in 2010 45% were from Cord Blood Units. (In 2004-16%!)

Hematopoietic transplants in adults from the USA bank NMDP,
in 2010 22% were from cord blood units.