Say the words stem cell and you’re likely to have people scattering or ready to put up an argument. Though the uses and origins of stem cells are becoming more commonly known and accepted, there’s still a misconception that retrieving stem cells is somehow wrong. However, with more education, the retrieval of stem cells from cord blood is rapidly becoming a popular way of preserving the precious, rich blood found in a newborn’s umbilical cord.
According to Cord Partners, subsidiary of Cord Blood Partners, Inc. (OTCBB: CBAI), there are two ways to collect cord blood: in-utero and ex-utero. With in-utero retrieval, the blood is initiated after the baby is retrieved while the placenta is still in-utero, or in the uterus. Ex-utero also takes place after delivery, but the collection is made when the placenta and umbilical cord are detached from the uterus. Both collections are painless and harmless to mother and child, and are placed in a bag that limits the possibility of bacterial contamination.
Cord Partners is focused on providing every family the ability to invest in future health through regenerative medicine. The collection of a child’s cord blood stem cells can be used for future care for the child, matched siblings, or a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched unrelated patient, part of the human immune system.
The company maintains a partnership with a contracted, 24-hour blood bank with more than nine years of experience with cord blood and more than 50 years experience with peripheral blood processing.
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