Cord Blood-Fact Or Fiction

Cord blood has its fair share of fiction, but there are some important facts also. what are stem cells used for and the research and discoveries that surround them have been prevalent in the news for some time now. Controversy seems to surround most of what we hear as a society.

If you are a parent who has been affected by the financial, emotional and spiritual burden of having to endure a disease that has taken over the life of your child you may want to delve into the facts and fictions of cord blood.

There are some very thorough websites that are maintained by neutral parties. These websites are a great place to begin the journey that will separate fact from fiction. You might simply have questions about cord blood and its potential uses, the answers can be found on the Internet. If nothing else you can arm yourself with important questions for your child's caregiver or physician.

Countless studies have been completed regarding cord blood transplants, storage, and collection processes. It is true that a compatible cord blood donor is found in most cases a month faster than a bone marrow donor. It is also true that typically it takes cord blood a week longer to engraft or establish a hold in a recipient than bone marrow. There are constantly new developments being made to improve all aspects of the engraftment of cord blood.

There are varying degrees of chemotherapy used before the transplant of cord blood and in some cases the bone marrow is depleted completely of its immune system support. And each case of cord blood transplants has varying elements.

Among cord blood transplants weighed against bone marrow transplant the long-term survival of recipients was comparible. With cord blood the dangerous part is waiting for th engraftment to occur. As with any medical procedure you will always here stories that sound "just too good to be true" cord blood transplant are not exempt from this happening.

The big selling point for cord blood banks is considered by some a scare tactic. It pits a parents fear for their chilld to someday contract cancer against the false truth that an infants own cord blood can guard them against this atrocity if it occurs. If an adult person is thinking clearly there are far too many "unlikey" aspects to this scenario. However when a parent is fragile for instance a pregnant woman that is emotional this advertising tactic works.