Cord blood is the blood found in the umbilical cord and placenta attached to newborn babies. Cord blood is rich in stem cells, the cells from which all other cells are made. Stem cells are used in the treatment of some cancers, immune diseases and...
Private cord blood banks tout the potential advantages of saving cord blood banking to expectant parents, but often skip over the disadvantages of doing so. While the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Congress of Obstetricians and...
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 potential for stem cell research to revolutionize health care, combined with concerns over ethical issues surrounding the harvesting of stem cells, have garnered much attention from researchers, lobbyists and the media. Cord blood banking...
Once expectant parents decide to save or donate their baby's cord blood, many are at a loss of what to do next. Although the process of saving or donating cord blood varies, some general procedures are common.
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby is born. This blood contains loads of stem cells---the cells from which all other cells are created. Until the end of the 20th century, this blood was merely...
Cocoa presents both risks and advantages for pregnant women. If you drink cocoa in the form of hot chocolate, the beverage typically contains a small amount of caffeine. The majority of health care professionals advise against the intake of any...
The benefits of cord blood are a fairly recent scientific discovery. Cord blood banking is becoming more common as researchers discover more uses for cord blood. However, the decision to save your baby's cord blood is a personal decision, and the...
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...
Filling your diet with nutritious foods is one way to support a healthy pregnancy and encourage the proper growth and development of your unborn baby. You need more of certain nutrients during pregnancy to supply your body with what it needs, as...
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...
Stem cells are specialized cells that can transform into almost any kind of cell in the body. This potential to turn into other cells holds the promise of repairing damage to organs caused by injury or disease. Embryos contain the most versatile...
The blood-brain barrier is a semi-permeable lining that prevents most substances from passing into the brain, according to Washington University. Scientists discovered the blood-brain barrier more than 100 years ago when it was found that blue dye...
Approximately 25 in 100,000 newborns suffer pediatric strokes, and strokes are the sixth leading cause of death in children according to the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania. Because stroke symptoms are easily mistaken for normal infant...
In 1983 infant researcher Andy Meltzoff made news when he stuck his tongue out at a 42-minute-old newborn and got a tongue back in response. Before that, researchers thought babies were blind at birth. Infant brain research continues to teach us...
Expectant parents often hear about cord blood banking at some point during the pregnancy, but many are unsure exactly what it entails or if it is worth it. Cord blood banking has many advantages, but parents need to consider many factors before...
