Within the blood of your newborn's umbilical cord and placenta are stem cells. Banking this cord blood can allow for future use as an alternative to bone marrow transplants, the treatment of some cancers, immunodeficiencies, metabolic disorders...
Before birth, the umbilical cord provided an infant with nutrients from the mother. At birth, the cord is cut and a stump remains at the baby's navel until it falls off. This typically takes between two and three weeks. At the hospital, a coating...
Umbilical cord blood contains stem cells that can be used to treat conditions such as leukemia and sickle cell disease, explains the American Pregnancy Association. In order to bank cord blood, parents must make the decision prior to the onset of...
All babies are born with an umbilical cord, which is cut at birth to leave a stump that parents must care for until it falls off. While the drying and loss of the cord is generally uneventful, sometimes problems do occur. Parents who pay attention...
Before we're born, we are attached to our mothers by an umbilical cord, which provides nutrients to us while inside the womb. After birth, this cord is cut close to our bellies, and the scar that forms becomes our belly button, or navel (or, in...
Your baby's umbilical cord is her source of life as it connects her body to yours during pregnancy. Once your baby is born, begins breathing oxygen and obtaining nutrition from milk or formula, the umbilical cord is no longer needed. The cord is...
A child's bellybutton is always cute and fun to tickle, but it does not start out so cute when they are newborns. It starts out as an umbilical cord stump, about 1 inch long and will eventually dry out and fall off. It is important to keep the...
Cord blood is the blood that remains inside a baby's umbilical cord after it's been cut. Cord blood, like bone marrow, is incredibly rich in stem cells, which are like the body's master cells that can transform into any type of cell in the human...
During pregnancy, the umbilical cord develops into a flexible tube that functions as a supply line between the fetus and mother. The umbilical cord moves blood back and forth between the fetus and the placenta, which is connected to the mother's...
Many women of child-bearing age in the United States consume diets with relatively insufficient amounts of micronutrients, such as folate, iron and calcium, according to a study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology in 1997. As a...
The umbilical cord and placenta were your baby's source of nourishment during pregnancy. After birth, the blood in the cord and placenta are typically discarded. It is possible to collect and store this blood in a cord bank for later use by a...
Symptoms for the contagious liver disease Hepatitis B appear in about 70 percent of adults according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A fairly common transmission route for Hepatitis B unique to women occurs during birth,...
Supplies needed during childbirth can vary, depending on whether the birth takes place in a hospital or at home, and the type of delivery. However, some standard supplies are commonly used for all types of births.
Red blood cells continually recycle in the body and when old cells die, the byproduct results in a yellow pigment called bilirubin. Normally, your liver processes it and removes it from the body via bowel movements. Without adequate excretion,...
The blood from an umbilical cord contains stem cells that are capable of transforming into many different types of cells in the body. Umbilical cord blood can be collected and stored in a cord blood bank for possible later use. While the pros of...
Although it doesn't typically occur, uncontrolled heavy bleeding from the umbilical cord in a newborn baby can lead to loss of blood and death. The blood vessel-lined cord connects the placenta to the baby's body through an opening in the abdomen....
The brain and spinal cord comprise the central nervous system. They require nutrients such as vitamins to develop normally and to function properly in adults. Without the proper vitamins, these structures can malform during fetal development and...
Becoming pregnant and having a child is a huge responsibility at any age, but discovering you're pregnant when you're still a teenager can feel earth shattering. Before you became pregnant, your main concerns centered on studying for finals and...
At birth, the doctor clamps and cuts the umbilical cord, leaving behind a small stump that eventually falls off. In most newborns, the belly button heals on its own without any complications. Some discharge during the healing process is normal,...
Spina bifida occulta is the mildest and most common form of spina bifida, part of a group of neural tube defects. A neural tube is a structure in a human embryo that develops into the spinal cord, brain and tissues that enclose it. In spina...
Water on the brain, also called hydrocephalus, is the result of a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that the excess CSF "puts pressure on the brain, pushing the brain up against the skull and...
Immediately after birth, your newborn's umbilical cord was cut and tied, forming his bellybutton. This cut umbilical cord requires care and frequent cleaning to prevent infection while it heals. One the cord stump falls off, which generally occurs...
When a baby is born, more than one precious thing enters the world. It has been found that the blood in the umbilical cord and placenta has special medical uses. Parents may choose to have the cord blood harvested. They may want the blood reserved...
The B complex vitamins are a group of eight closely related micronutrients that support a variety of body functions. The B complex vitamins include B1 or thiamine; B2 or riboflavin; B3 or niacin; B5 or pantothenic acid; B6 or pyridoxine; B7 or...
Vitamin B12 and folate are essential to several metabolic functions in the human body. Humans derive vitamin B12 and folate from the diet. Insufficient dietary intake and certain medical conditions can lead to vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies,...
Cheddar cheese, the most popular cheese in Britain, is a hard cheese made from cow's milk, with flavors ranging from mild to sharp. The longer cheddar is allowed to age the sharper it tastes: 12 months for sharp, 18 months for extra sharp....
Donating your baby's cord blood to a public cord blood bank can save the life of a child in need. The stem cells in the cord blood can treat a large number of life-threatening illnesses. Occasionally, small or young adults can use these stem cells...
Arugula is a bitter green often used in salads. Known as rocket or rucola, arugula contains numerous nutrients that make it a healthy addition to any diet. You can find prewashed arugula in many supermarkets, but you must wash bunched arugula sold...
