You may have heard of stem cell research with all of the political
controversy surrounding the issue, but you may not have heard of cord
blood. Cord blood, as defined by the Core Blood Donor Foundation, is
the blood that stays in the umbilical cord after birth. The blood is
taken from the cord and placenta after the baby is born, so the
procedure itself is completely harmless to the baby as well as to the
mother.
How does Cord Blood Relate to Stem Cell Research?
The Core Blood Donor Foundation states that cord blood is an excellent
source of stem cells. Cord blood stem cells can be used to treat
leukemia and other cancers in the same way that bone marrow is used,
with a much less chance of rejection. So what's a stem cell? Stem
cells are special in that they have the ability to develop into many
different types of cells within the body. The National Institute of
Health claims that they are a repair feature for the body.
What Can Cord Blood Treat?
Stem cells that are collected from cord blood can be used to treat
several types of disorders. These include several types of anemia,
types of leukemia, as well as many
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