AlphaCord The Cord Blood Preservation Experts

Cord blood is the stem cell rich blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta immediately after the cord is cut and the baby is born. Stems cells found in cord blood are the building blocks of our blood and the foundation of our immune system. Although routinely discarded, cord blood provides millions the life-saving stem cells that can only be saved at birth.

Stem cells are unique. They are the building blocks of our blood and the foundation of our immune system. They can reproduce into red cells (these carry oxygen throughout our bodies), white cells (these fight off infections) and platelets (these create clots, preventing us from bleeding excessively).

Stem cells from your child's Cord Blood could be used as part of a therapy associated with many cancers and blood disorders, see Diseases Treated With Stem Cells.

This is a widely debated question. Detractors say it is 1 in 10,000. Proponents say that when you consider the actual list (a broader list) of diseases, it is about 1 in 400. Consider home fire insurance as an analogy. The odds of your home burning down are very slim, but every homeowner has fire insurance. Yet, this type of "life insurance" is even more important. You can rebuild a house but you cannot collect Cord Blood after the fact.

The cord blood can be used by the child it was collected from. There is also a very high chance it will match a full sibling, approximately 50%. There is also a 25% chance that the cord blood will match the childs' parents. If you were to go through the National Donor Program, (donated cord blood) to find a match, you would have 0.50% chance of finding it.

All stem cells are genetically unique. Therefore, it is prudent to save cord blood for each child to ensure an exact genetic match. More units in storage will create better odds of matching a family member in need.

Stem cells from cord blood are a perfect match for your child. There is less need for a perfect match for siblings and other relatives because these stem cells are less mature than bone marrow stem cells. In fact, according to recent studies, using cord blood as an alternative to bone marrow lowers the risk of graft versus host disease, or transplant rejection. Cord blood is also easier to collect than bone marrow and, when privately banked, is immediately accessible by your family, an important consideration when time is of the essence.