At the end of the twentieth century, thanks to the development of cellular technologies, umbilical cord blood was recognized as a valuable biological material, every milliliter of which is now “worth its weight in gold.” Research has shown that umbilical cord blood is a valuable source of hematopoietic stem cells, which have the ability to restore the hematopoietic and immune system of the human body. Until 1988, such cells were extracted only from bone marrow or peripheral blood adult. But this carries a certain risk to his health associated with general anesthesia(anesthesia) and blood loss.
What is the value of umbilical cord blood stem cells?
It has been scientifically and practically proven for many years that with the help of hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells, a person can restore the hematopoietic and immune systems that have been damaged as a result of illness, chemotherapy or other reasons. Currently, umbilical cord blood stem cells are used to treat more than 85 hereditary and acquired oncohematological diseases.
Cord blood stem cells have a number of important advantages over cells from other sources.
Youth. Throughout life, a person ages and is exposed to adverse influences external environment and ecology. Stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood are much younger than similar cells from bone marrow, since they are preserved at the very beginning of life and have not yet been exposed to various harmful factors.
Quantity. The number and concentration of stem cells in umbilical cord blood is higher than in bone marrow and peripheral blood. For example, 100 ml of umbilical cord blood contains the same number of stem cells as 1 liter of bone marrow.
Collection safety. The process of collecting cord blood is simple, takes no more than 3 minutes, does not cause discomfort and is safe for mother and child.
Potential and activity. Scientists believe that the number of cell divisions is limited. Additionally, because cord blood stem cells are collected at one of the earliest stages of a person's life, their ability to divide and become necessary for the body cells are very high.
Compatibility. Your own blood is always 100% suitable for the child. With a high probability (more than 25%, which is a very high indicator) it will also suit his siblings.
Safety of use. Using your own stem cells is safe and does not cause immune complications. Mandatory conditions for the use of umbilical cord blood stem cells are the presence of indications for use and the absence of contraindications to transplantation.
Economical. Finding a suitable bone marrow donor can be difficult and expensive. If umbilical cord blood collected at the time of birth of the baby is stored in a stem cell bank, it is available at any time.
Application of umbilical cord blood stem cells
The development of cellular technologies significantly expands the scope of application of stem cells. According to statistics, today total There are about 4000 clinical studies going on in the world using cell technologies. For example, in the USA, Germany, China and other countries clinical trials on the use of cord blood cells for treatment of cerebral palsy(cerebral palsy), acquired deafness, autism, diabetes mellitus Type I and other diseases.
Cord blood banks
There are donor and private banks for personal storage of stem cells.
Cord blood donor bank is government agency. It keeps records of received samples, entering them into the international donor database, and carries out permanent storage of the received material. If compatible, it can be used by any person who is a candidate for stem cell transplantation.
Personal storage banks carry out personalized storage of umbilical cord blood stem cells collected at the birth of a baby, and only the child himself or members of his family can use them.
The decision whether or not to save cord blood during childbirth can only be made by future parents; it is a voluntary choice of each family. The main thing is to remember that you can collect cord blood stem cells only once in a lifetime - at the time of birth of the baby. Therefore, it is important to make this decision in advance.
How is cord blood collected?
Cord blood collection – absolutely safe procedure for mother and baby, since the blood is taken from the already severed umbilical cord, and no contact occurs with the child and the woman. It is a safe and easy way to harvest stem cells and is currently approved in developed countries peace. Medical staff Immediately after the birth of the baby, blood is collected using a special disposable sterile system. After which, in a special container, as much as possible a short time(no more than 48 hours) the blood bag is delivered to the cord blood stem cell bank for further processing (stem cell isolation, laboratory testing, analyses) and long-term storage at ultra-low temperatures (–150...–196°С).
Many parents are increasingly wondering whether it is worth preserving stem cells from their baby’s umbilical cord blood. After all, leading obstetricians and gynecologists and many celebrity mothers advise future parents to preserve this natural biomaterial, which is considered truly unique, as additional insurance for the child.
Cord blood is a valuable biomaterial
First, let's figure out what umbilical cord blood (CBB) is and why it needs to be preserved. Umbilical cord blood is blood that is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta immediately after the baby is born.
The peculiarity of this biomaterial is that it contains healthy hematopoietic stem cells (SCs). They are much younger and more active than cells of the same type from the bone marrow, since they are preserved at the very beginning of life. There is plenty of evidence of this scientific research over the past thirty years. This valuable (more precisely, priceless, given the far from fully studied possibilities of its use in medicine) biomaterial is used in the treatment of more than 85 diseases, namely blood diseases, immune system, autism, cerebral palsy, as well as a number hereditary diseases.
It is worth noting that the saved PC will be suitable not only for the child himself, but will also provide completely reliable biological insurance for his loved ones, parents, and siblings. Many doctors today strongly recommend preserving stem cells for those families whose children belong to rare ethnic groups and there are them genetic predisposition to certain diseases. And also for those whose older children are indicated for transplantation using SCs.
Cord blood collection
Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut, so the procedure is completely painless and safe for both the baby and its mother. Blood collection takes a maximum of 5 minutes. Moreover, they collect it as if natural childbirth, and during caesarean section. To do this, the doctor places a needle in the umbilical vein, through which the blood is transfused into a special bag with a liquid that prevents clotting. Typically, 80 to 120 ml of blood is collected.
Isolation of stem cells from umbilical cord blood
After collecting cord blood, the separation stage follows and the blood is subjected to step-by-step processing. The blood is purified from residual plasma, red blood cells and most mature white blood cells and stem cells are isolated. Today there are three selection methods: manual, semi-automatic and automatic. The second method is the most popular. The blood bag is placed in special device, to which three containers with tubes are connected. Using an automatic press, plasma moves up one tube, red blood cells descend down the second, and middle layer with the stem cell sample remains in the bag, then it is sealed and transported to the laboratory. It is worth noting that the content of stem cells in umbilical cord blood is relatively small - less than 1% of all leukocytes. Usually 4-6% of SCs are collected, but this volume is quite sufficient for transplantation into an adult.
Storage
It is allowed to store cord blood exclusively in special containers and only in specialized banks (not containers, of course, but medical organizations), with whom the family enters into a contract even before the birth. Cord blood is collected by specially trained maternity ward staff.
After the biomaterial is collected, the container in special packaging is delivered by car or plane to the laboratory within 36 hours, where it is examined in detail. The PC is tested for infections, blood type and Rh factor are determined. After this, it is placed in special cryobags or cryovials and sent for indefinite storage in cryogenic storage facilities. More precisely, in a tank with a volume of 240 liters, filled liquid nitrogen for supporting constant temperature(from -170ºС to -196ºС) of stored samples. This storage format allows you to save the original beneficial features sample for an unlimited period of time.
How popular are stem cell banks in Russia?
But is this service really in demand in Russia? According to the Stem Cell Institute, at the beginning of 2016, there were 14 personal cord blood banks operating in our country, in which 55,576 personal stem cell samples were stored. Moreover, the largest banks - Gemabank and Cryocenter - have been operating in the medical services market for about 15 years. The Institute also provides the dynamics of the number of incoming PC samples from 2009 to 2015. Judging by these data, on average 5,600 people apply to banks every year. And only in 2012 there was an increase in sales, when 7486 samples of SC were stored. Many people associate these indicators with tall birth rate that year and an active PR campaign.
In fact, 55 thousand is not such a big number. So why, after 15 years of existence of such banks, is there no great demand for this service? Surveys show that many parents consider such bioinsurance too expensive and ineffective. "For what healthy child Should I save cord blood? In addition, medicine does not stand still, but progresses, and in case of illness, a child can be cured without the use of stem cells,” is the most common formulation among doubters.
Other parents, having heard about collecting money for storing insurance cards, immediately remember financial pyramid MMM, which ended in a loud crash with thousands of people affected. There are also those who simply do not trust the conditions for storing stem cells in Russia. Let's turn again to the Institute's analytical data and see how many people have invested their savings in the health of their child and their relatives and, as it turns out, they did it for good reason. According to data for 2016, 106 PC samples were issued for the treatment of patients with diagnoses: neuroblastoma, Fanconi anemia, juvenile myeloid leukemia, cerebral palsy, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome.
How much does it cost to collect cord blood?
For the collection, transportation and storage of biomaterial for a period of 5 years, Gemabank charges from 84 thousand rubles, for 10 years the amount of expenses will be 104 thousand rubles, for 20 years - 134 thousand rubles.
At the Cryocenter, upon concluding a contract, the cost of services will cost from 59 to 69 thousand rubles (depending on how the biomaterial will be stored - in a cryobag or in a cryovial), plus 5.5/6 thousand rubles for annual storage. For example, over 5 years, a client of an unusual bank will pay 86.5/99 thousand rubles.
List of cryobanks in Russia
According to the Institute of Human Stem Cells, there are 14 banks in Russia that provide the service of personal storage of umbilical cord blood. These data were published on the company's website in June 2016.
- Gemabank
- LLC "Cryocenter"
- State Unitary Enterprise of the Samara Region "Povolzhsky Bank of Hematopoietic Cells"
- Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank of the Perinatal Medical Center
- LLC "Pokrovsky Stem Cell Bank"
- Orenburg Stem Cell Bank
- Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank at Central clinical hospital Department of Presidential Affairs (CDB)
- Trans-Technologies LLC
- Stem cell bank "SM-Clinic"
- Izhevsk Stem Cell Bank
- Ufa Stem Cell Bank at the Mother and Child Clinic
- Stem Cell Bank at Kazan State Medical University
- Kazan Bank PC at Federal State Institution
- Bank at NEO-Clinic LLC (Tyumen)
The collection and preservation of cord blood is common in many countries, and medical research has shown that cord blood has healing properties and can even save lives. Some clinics offer cord blood collection and storage. But since the service is far from cheap, it’s worth figuring out how justified these expenses will be and why such a service is needed.
Cord blood is not similar to ordinary blood; it has no analogue. Its peculiarity is that it contains stem cells. Stem cells are a kind of blood pre-cells, from which blood cells (erythrocytes, platelets, leukocytes) are subsequently formed. Today, stem cell transplantation is successfully used to treat pathologies, and research into the use of blood collected from the fetal umbilical cord vein is constantly updated with new encouraging data.
Fetal cord blood is a unique biomaterial. Her medicinal properties first attracted attention and began to be carefully studied in 1988, when stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood were injected into a child with fatal disease and he was cured. This gave hope to many terminally ill people. Since then, medical research in the study and use of stem cells has advanced.
They have learned to grow organs from umbilical cord blood stem cells.Why are they needed and what diseases can be treated with fetal stem cells? Let's look at the cases of their use below:
Diseases of the circulatory system:
- lymphoma;
- hemoglobinemia;
- refractory and aplastic anemia;
- Waldenström;
- acute and chronic leukemia;
- macroglobulinemia;
- myelodysplasia.
Autoimmune diseases:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- cerebral palsy;
- systemic scleroderma.
Nervous system diseases:
- stroke;
- damage to the head or spinal cord;
- paralysis;
- multiple sclerosis;
- Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Raynaud's disease;
- encephalopathy.
Oncological pathologies:
- neuroblastoma;
- breast, kidney, ovarian, testicular cancer;
- small cell lung cancer;
- Ewing's sarcoma;
- rhabdomyosarcoma;
- thymoma.
Other diseases:
- immunodeficiency;
- muscular dystrophy;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- AIDS;
- histiocytosis;
- amyloidosis.
This is an incomplete list of diseases where the use of stem cells has been successful and led to a cure. The volume of scientific research is growing daily, including in the field of autologous stem cell transplantation. Clinical studies are ongoing on the possibility of using stem cells in the treatment of heart pathologies, liver diseases and diabetes. There are some advances in ophthalmology in the treatment of glaucoma and decreased vision due to diabetes.
Fetal cord blood can be used for both the person from whom it was collected at birth and their relatives. Another question is how likely it is that stem cells obtained from a child’s umbilical cord blood will be suitable for his parents, brothers or sisters.
Cord blood collection
Future mothers who have decided to collect cord blood are concerned about the question of what to expect from the blood collection process and whether it is safe for the fetus. Receiving cord blood is painless, and the procedure takes no more than ten minutes. Naturally, this is childbirth or C-section, on labor cord blood collection has no effect. Multiple pregnancy is also not a contraindication; cord blood can be collected from each baby, which increases its quantity. The volume of fetal venous cord blood collected is usually small, so the obstetrician tries to collect as much blood as possible. The amount of blood from the umbilical cord vein of one fetus is about 80-200 ml, and the number of stem cells contained in a similar volume is 4-6%.
Immediately after the baby is born, the obstetrician ties and cuts the umbilical cord. The maternal end of the umbilical cord is then treated with a sterile solution or antiseptic, after which blood is collected from the umbilical cord vein using a special system.
The collection system consists of a needle that is inserted into the umbilical cord vein and a special sterile container with a liquid that prevents blood clotting (anticoagulant).However, there are cases when the issue of collecting and storing cord blood needs to be approached more carefully. This applies to the following situations:
- members of the same family have different nationalities;
- large family;
- pregnancy occurred during the IVF procedure;
- one of the family members was diagnosed with a blood disease or malignant neoplasm;
- the family already has children with a disease that requires stem cell treatment;
- there is reason to believe that in the future there may be a need to use stem cells.
- hepatitis B or C;
- syphilis;
- T-cell leukemia;
- HIV – 1;
- HIV – 2.
The conclusions that can be drawn about the procedure for collecting cord blood are the following:
- the procedure is painless and safe for mother and baby;
- the procedure is technically easy to perform and is similar to conventional venous blood sampling;
- the procedure is strictly individual.
The collected blood is then examined in a special way for the presence of infections and a stem cell concentrate is isolated. After all the manipulations, the stem cells are sent to a cryobank, where they are frozen and stored.
Is it necessary to collect cord blood: pros and cons
The decision about whether cord blood will be collected after birth rests with the future mom. Before making such a decision, you need to weigh all the pros and cons:
| Minuses: | Pros: |
| Fetal cord blood is not a cure and does not replace primary treatment. Its use does not guarantee a complete cure. | Collecting and storing umbilical cord blood is less expensive than donating a sample. On average, storing your sample for 20 years costs 2000 euros, while a donor sample costs from 20 thousand euros. |
| It is not suitable for the treatment of hereditary diseases, as it contains the same gene mutations that caused the disease. | Cord blood is safe to use and is carefully screened for infection and treated accordingly. In addition, the risk that the stem cells will be rejected is minimal. |
| Low chance of the blood being useful: According to cord blood cryobanks, the chance of being used is 1:30. | Finding a suitable donor can take months or years, and the chance of finding a suitable sample is 1:1000, while preparing cord blood stem cells takes an average of 2 hours. This way, valuable time is not lost and the chances of a cure increase. |
| The amount of blood collected from the fetal umbilical cord vein is small: it simply may not be enough when transfused in the treatment of a number of diseases. Only for a child or adult up to 50 kilograms, an amount of 80 to 200 ml may be sufficient. | Fetal cord blood is indispensable for the treatment of blood cancer: the concentration of hematopoietic cells in it is 10 times higher than in the bone marrow. |
| There is a low probability that cord blood will be suitable for relatives: brothers and sisters - the probability is about 70%, parents - 50%, other relatives - only 25%. | Cord blood stem cells have amazing regenerative abilities: they quickly transform into missing tissues, accelerating the regeneration process. |
After childbirth, umbilical cord blood cells remain in the umbilical cord cut off from the child - healing ones, which are used in modern medical practice for treatment serious illnesses. Thanks to Gemabank, every Russian Federation has the opportunity to collect and preserve umbilical cord blood for long-term storage in the interests of protecting the health of the child and the entire family for the future.
Umbilical cord blood: what is it needed for and what is its uniqueness?
Unfortunately, not all future parents know what cord blood is needed for and what makes it unique medical properties. Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been used for the last thirty years to treat more than 10. The biomaterial saved at birth is biological insurance for the child throughout his life and can be used for the treatment of oncohematological, hereditary and many other diseases.
The decision to preserve cord blood to protect health always comes from the parents, but Lately More and more obstetricians are recommending this service for targeted family storage. The main reason is the acute shortage in Russia, so doctors recommend taking care of the child’s future in advance. The use of umbilical cord blood for the treatment of severe diseases (including cancer, autism, cerebral palsy, etc.) has already proven itself to be effective and safe method, and transplantations number in the thousands per year.
About the collection procedure in the parental home
Cord blood banking is performed after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut off. This is a 100% safe procedure. The collection of biomaterial is non-contact: in fact, only blood is collected, which must be disposed of after birth.
After collection, the sterile container is transferred under special environmental conditions from the maternity hospital to Moscow. Transportation is carried out by special air or transport courier service. Then hematopoietic stem cells are isolated from the biomaterial and stored for long-term cryopreservation. Then parents are given a unique certificate, the rights to use which belong to them until the child turns 18 years old.
Pros and cons of using cord blood in medical practice
This treatment is already a routine procedure and is performed throughout the world. In Russia, it was first performed in 1997 on a patient with cancer.
Today, the pros and cons of using cord blood compared to donor bone marrow are obvious:
— cells from umbilical cord blood are the youngest and most active;
- they were not exposed to disease and harmful effects environment;
- this is our own biomaterial, which is always 100% suitable for the owner (and the probability of finding a compatible donor can range from 1:1000 to 1:1000,000);
— storing cord blood is 100% safe for health, unlike collecting bone marrow;
— economic benefit bioinsurance is not comparable to paying for donor search and activation.
How to make a decision?
The use of cord blood for targeted treatment child or bioinsurance for the future has already proven its effectiveness for severe diseases and is used all over the world. Every year, new clinical studies improve treatment technologies and also expand the range of diseases treated with cord blood. When deciding on bioinsurance for a child, assess the possibilities and family risks, weigh all the pros and cons, since the chance to preserve biomaterial exists only once in the life of each person.
Cord blood donation is the procedure of collecting, freezing and storing blood from the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of your baby for future medical use. Cord blood is highly valued because it is a rich source of stem cells, the building blocks of the human blood and immune system.
Stem cells have the unique ability to differentiate into other tissues; therefore, it can treat a huge variety of diseases, including leukemia and sickle cell disease. Here, only you and your family decide whether to donate the cord blood of your unborn child or not.
1. Does cord blood really show promising results?
Numerous studies around the world allow us to look optimistically into the future of this issue. Experts say cancer patients could one day benefit from stem cells that were deposited at birth. Therefore, there is hope that stem cells can be used to treat cancers that are not genetically determined.
In light of recent animal experiments, it has been suggested that in the near future, cord blood will be used to treat diabetes, spinal cord injury, heart failure, stroke and serious neurological diseases. However, the possibilities of stem cells are still in development and have exciting promises.
2. How much does it cost?
Private cord blood banks typically charge a registration fee of RUB 60,000 or so, plus annual storage fees of around RUB 6,000.
3. Can my unborn child treated with your own cord blood?
If your child has or develops a genetically based disease, these are precisely the cases in which you can only benefit from an umbilical cord blood transplant - because it already contains all the genetic instructions for this disease, and therefore it is not suitable treatment. Most stem banks are designed to treat siblings.
4. So we have a better chance of finding a stem cell donor through a public cord blood bank system rather than our own family?
The chance of an exact tissue match between a brother and sister is only 30%, according to respected doctors involved in national bone marrow transplant programs. If we talk about such correspondence in public databases, then we are talking about 1%.
Some experts have expressed reservations about donating cord blood to the general public, similar to blood banks. On the other hand, such actions are recommended for families in which there is a person with a diagnosis who is being treated with an umbilical cord blood transplant. In this situation, you can qualify for participation in the “family ties” donor program, which involves collecting, processing and storing material for 6 years at no cost.
5. Conclusion?
In short, if you decide to donate the cord blood of your unborn child, discuss this with your supervising doctor and start choosing a public or private bank right now. The fact is that most private banks give preference to women in the second trimester of pregnancy. If you delay any longer, then you will have to pay late registration fees.
Loading...