Human embryonic stem cells hold tremendous therapeutic potential, and that is why newborn stem cell preservation is crucial. Preserving the cells enables their transport from the cell bank storage to the medical center for clinical and research purposes. Stem cell preservation also helps doctors use them in various stem cell therapies. Cryopreservation is the most common method of preserving stem cells, and this method allows the storage of the cells for an indefinite period.

By preserving your child’s stem cells, you can ensure that they can remain viable when the child grows up and needs them. If you have a family history of genetically inheritable diseases, there is a strong chance that your child is susceptible to those health conditions. Newborn stem cell preservation may provide him or her with a chance of recovery and good health. You can even find affordable cord blood banks at $19.99/month

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are regenerative cells present within the bone marrow and in the umbilical cord blood and the umbilical cord tissue of newborn babies. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) occur in the umbilical cord blood. The umbilical cord tissue has mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), perivascular stem cells, and endothelial stem cells.

These stem cells can differentiate and regenerate into different types of specialized cells, and these, in turn, serve as building blocks to form tissues and organs and repair and maintain them. For instance, nerve cells can develop into the brain, cardiac cells can form the heart, muscle cells can form muscles, intestinal cells can form the intestines, and liver cells can form the liver. That makes stem cells invaluable for use in existing, developing, and future regenerative health therapies.

They can undergo cryopreservation in private storage for the exclusive use of the baby and the baby’s family or in public storage where they can be made available for use for everyone.

What is stem cell preservation?

Newborn stem cell preservation is the preservation of stem cells using cryogenic preservation techniques. After a family decides to preserve the stem cells for future use, they can contact a reputable stem cell bank with accreditation from FDA and other agencies and make storage arrangements. The cell bank will provide you with a test kit, and the doctor or nurse will use this kit to extract umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue right after the baby is born.

A technician from the cell bank will collect the samples and take them to the storage facility for testing for infectious diseases, automated or manual processing, and cryogenic storage. According to researchers, it is possible to store stem cells indefinitely. The storage bank will charge an annual fee for stem cell storage.

What are the uses of stem cell preservation?

The uses of newborn stem cell preservation are as follows:

• Since stem cells are genetically unique, people with a history of life-threatening diseases will benefit from preserving them for currently available or developing cell therapies.

• Stem cells can provide an organic way to rebuild a compromised immune system and treat sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and over 800 other blood diseases and cancers like leukemia and myeloma.

• Hematopoietic stem cells can help treat solid tumors, immune deficiencies, blood cancer, metabolic storage disorder, bone marrow failure syndrome, and other disorders.

• It may be possible to use mesenchymal stem cells for treating osteoarthritis, diabetes, stroke, burns, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, and various neurodegenerative disorders.

• Researchers are researching treatments for health conditions and diseases that are incurable at present. They may be able to find cures for these using stem cell therapies in the future. They are studying the effects of stem cells on brain injury, spinal cord injury, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, and type 1 diabetes.

• It is difficult to find a matching stem cell donor for a stem cell transplant. Newborn stem cell preservation can save the patients from waiting for a matching donor for stem cell transplants. The stem cells can protect children and their families from several diseases. The cells will be available when and as needed.

• The stem cells are useful for regenerating new cells to form tissues and organs, and these can then be transplanted to replace diseased tissues and organs and treat a variety of health conditions.