How Cord Blood Revolutionized Medicine
One of the milestones during a birthing process is that precious moment when the only thing that connects the mother to the infant is severed. This is the umbilical cord. After cutting the umbilical cord, it has always been a common practice to just discard the umbilical cord together with the placenta. Recent studies and discoveries showed that the cord blood harvested from a newborn infant can be beneficial in curing potentially lethal diseases such as blood related diseases, genetic disorders, certain types of cancer and many more.
Most medical institutions like hospitals now offer the option of storing cord blood specimens in cord blood bank. This option would be through a specialized institution that offers cord blood banking. The process of obtaining the cord blood from a newborn infant’s placenta and umbilical cord can be best explained here:
The cord blood is harvested from the blood which is left over in the placenta and in the umbilical cord right after a normal birth of the baby. The method most commonly used would be similar to standard blood collection techniques. The medical technician cannulates the vein of the severed umbilical cord using a needle connected to a blood bag, and the cord blood through the needle into the bag.
Cord blood samples can only be harvested once and this is why it is so important to take on the process of extracting carefully and correctly. Cord blood extractions are more plausible and possible with normal births since with normal births, the doctors and other medical staff do not have to worry about another ongoing operation which occurs during births through C-Sections. After the collection of these cord blood samples, the next important step would be the safe keeping of such riveting medical pieces. Cord blood can be stored and processed two ways. One is through public cord blood banks and another is through private cord blood banking. Cord blood banks are where cord blood samples are being stored and kept and can only is accessible to the donor or the donor’s immediate family and relatives.
Cord blood samples which are stored properly can give better opportunities and chances for medical doctors and practitioners for further studies and improving procedures involved in cord blood use and cord blood storage. The wonders brought about by cord blood are truly one solid testament on how perseverance and dedication can bring the world a step closer to a healthier life.