umbilical cord blood

What is umbilical cord blood? 

Umbilical cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and the placenta, after the child is born and the umbilical cord is already clamped and cut. Normally, the umbilical cord and the afterbirth including all the blood in them are thrown away as waste. But since it was discovered that the umbilical cord blood contains the precious stem cells, people think twice. The umbilical cord blood is increasingly stored in order to preserve stem cells for a later treatment – for oneself or for others.  By definition, umbilical cord blood stem cells are adult stem cells, but they have special characteristics: they can grow into numerous different cell types and divide much easier than stem cells from the bone marrow of an adult. Therefore, they can be used for future therapies, e.g. organ repair or tissue replacement.   

What are the advantages of stem cells from umbilical cord blood? 

Umbilical cord blood stem cells are young, vital and divide easily. They can grow into any other cell type while adult stem cells, e.g. from the bone marrow, are already specialised. Compared to adult stem cells they are also free of environmental pollution and ageing processes and also free from any pathogens. 

Another advantage: they are available as an instant medication immediately.The probability that the stored stem cells from umbilical cord blood can be used in another organism is ten times higher than with stem cells from the bone marrow. Moreover, they are always tolerated when they are used as autologous (own) cells, as the tissue characteristics are entirely identical. Therefore, there is no rejection reaction of the body.Also when the stem cells are not used for their donor, but for another person with similar tissue characteristics (e.g. a sibling), there are significantly less rejection reactions, as the umbilical cord blood stem cells are immunologically still immature and therefore hardly provoke strong immune reactions.  Moreover they can be collected without any risk for mother and child, while taking cells from the bone marrow is not always free of risks and is also quite painful. . Umbilical cord blood stem cells can be collected in large numbers. Moreover, they can be cultivated and proliferated. When they are processed and stored by experts, they are available for life. 

Since when do you have the possibility to store stem cells from umbilical cord blood? 

Since 1997, parents in Germany have the possibility to store stem cells of their own child. Meanwhile thousands of parents have used this unique prevention for their child. Around the world, already 2.5 million parents have opted for storing their child´s stem cells. 

How does my child profit from storing umbilical cord blood? 

Nowadays, stem cells are successfully used as a treatment for many severe illnesses (e.g. cancer or autoimmune diseases).Storing umbilical cord blood gives you the security of being able use all possible treatments should your child become ill. And: The medical progress is so enormous and therefore your child has the chance to profit from future developments. 

When umbilical cord blood is so precious, why does not everybody store it? 

Most people still do not know enough about the subject. The umbilical cord and placenta are therefore mostly thrown away after birth. Sometimes, uninformed people also have objections towards embryonic stem cell research and do not know that this has nothing to do with the collection of umbilical cord blood. Another reason is also that the collection and storage of own stem cells costs money. But there are extensive financing options, beginning from 34.40 euros a month. Many people also do not know that you can donate umbilical cord blood for free. However, this material is then not stored for yourself, but for general public and generally it might not be available anymore when you need it.  

Where and how can the umbilical cord blood be stored? 

Umbilical cord blood can be stored in public or private umbilical cord blood banks. Public umbilical cord blood banks make the umbilical cord blood available for general public ("allogenic storage"). The donation is free of charge, but then you are not entitled to use your donation anymore. This means that normally you will not be able to retrieve your donation and profit from your own stem cell treatment. The public banks are maintained by donations and public funds. At the moment, there are only 4 banks in Germany which have the permission to distribute allogenic umbilical cord blood stem cells. This also includes the University Hospital Erlangen, the cooperation partners of eticur). At a private umbilical cord blood bank you have the possibility to store the stem cells of your child for private use ("autologous storage"). Then your child or one of his siblings is always available. The costs for processing and storage of the stem cells are covered by the parents or e.g. grandparents and godparents.   

Can I only make a donation to the general public at public banks? 

Also the stem cell bank of the University Hospital Erlangen with eticur) offers the possibility to donate the umbilical cord blood for general public. So also if you do not wish to have umbilical cord blood processed and stored for your own child, you should still donate it – as it is far too precious to be thrown away! 

Note: In 2009, the new building of the stem cell bank of the University Hospital Erlangen has been opened up. Now, University Hospital Erlangen has the largest stem cell bank in Bavaria.

• highest quality for testing and storing
• separation and HLA-typification included
• safe storage at the University Hospital
• storage in two units in two tanks
• financing option from zero percent interest