If you are an expecting parent, stem cell banking is the best gift you can give to your child. Cells found in a baby’s umbilical cord blood hold great potential. They can be used for treating various life-threatening diseases and debilitating conditions.

Medical Importance of Stem Cells:

Banking stem cells will ensure your baby’s healthy and happy future. By easily adapting to a patient’s body, cord stem cells reduce the likelihood of rejection. Due to this characteristic, if your baby gets afflicted with a certain genetic disease or cancer, his/her cord blood cells can be used for treatment without the risk of rejection.

By preserving the cord blood, you also eliminate the need to find a bone marrow donor in case your baby ever needs a stem cell transplant. Even a sibling in need of a stem cell donor can use a brother’s or sister’s stem cells for treatment. Compared to a non-relative, treatments using a family member’s cord blood have been found to be more successful.

Several scientific discoveries are being made in this field to find additional medical applications for stem cells. Studies are being conducted to determine the potential use of these cells in treating certain illnesses such as type 1 diabetes, spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, autism, stroke and cerebral palsy.

Scope of Stem Cell Therapy in India- Will it last?

Banking of cord blood is a popular concept in western countries; however, in India, this concept is still new. With an increase in awareness, many hospitals in the country have started providing this facility to their clients. Efforts are being made to educate parents about the benefits of preserving their baby’s cord blood cells.

Stem cell therapies have been successful in various countries, including India. Analyzing the future potential of this concept, many private players have entered the market. Today, cord blood banking is regarded an essential medical service all over the world. Almost every major country now has an umbilical cord blood bank. Market for cord blood banking in India is also growing steadily.

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