Health news and facts compiled by the Meriden Public Library July 2016

Health Beat

B one marrow transplants

can treat and even cure

some

types of

genetic

disorders and

blood

diseases.

But not all

patients are

able to find a

matching

donor among

their relatives.

In those

cases, searching for an

unrelated, matched donor can be

a long, stressful, and possibly

unsuccessful process —

especially for ethnic and racial

minorities.

Blood from human umbilical

cords acquired soon after a baby

is born contains a small number

of the adult stem cells that

mature into healthy blood cells.

Umbilical cord blood

donation poses little risk to

donors, and the life-saving

blood can be stored frozen for

years (albeit for a fee if it is

stored through a private

company).

For more than 15 years, the

National Heart, Lung and Blood

Institute has supported research

into the safety and effectiveness

of transplanting

cord blood that

has been

donated by

people

unrelated to the

patients who

need it.

Studies are

ongoing in

sickle cell

disease, severe

aplastic

anemia, and myelodysplastic

syndromes, as is research to

improve the yield of blood-

forming stem cells from cord

blood.

July is National Cord Blood

Awareness Month. The institute

encourages people to learn more

about cord blood research and

the importance of participating

in clinical trials to advance

scientific knowledge and

improve the treatment of

disease.

A different way to help

someone in need is to register as

a bone marrow donor.

— National Heart, Lung and Blood

Q&A About Cord Blood

Q : Does collecting

cord blood hurt the

mother or child?

A: No, cord blood is

collected after the baby

is delivered and the

umbilical cord is cut. It

is painless for both

mother and baby.

Q: Why didn’t my doc-

tor talk to me about

cord blood options?

A: Doctors are busy

and many may not be

well-versed in the

benefits of cord blood

preservation and re-

search.

Q: Are cord blood stem

cells different than

other types of stem

cells?

A: Yes, because these

stem cells are the

youngest form, they

more easily adapt. This

sets cord blood apart

from bone marrow

stem cells.

Q: How long does the

cord blood last?

A: It is not known.

—Save the Cord

Foundation

Blood from Newborn’s Umbilical Cord Has Potential To Save Lives

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