2023-11-22 19:34:09
Düsseldorf/Ulm – Oxygen and all important nutrients: They find their way into the baby through the umbilical cord so that it can develop well. After birth, the umbilical cord is cut and usually disposed of.
It contains – or more precisely: the blood it contains – valuable stem cells that are similar to those in the bone marrow. These stem cells can develop into different types of blood cells.
And that means: You can help children and adults who have leukemia – i.e. blood cancer – or other diseases of the blood-forming system.
Parents can donate umbilical cord blood or have it stored. Here is an overview of the most important questions:
How exactly can umbilical cord blood be stored and used after birth?
There are two options: autologous storage and allogeneic umbilical cord blood donation.
Autologous means: The umbilical cord blood is stored for the child itself. The idea behind it: If the offspring develops a disease such as leukemia, a suitable stem cell donation is immediately available.
A so-called directed donation is also possible: the stored umbilical cord blood is used for a sick sibling.
Autologous storage is possible with various providers. The parents have to bear the costs themselves – depending on the offer, they range between 1,000 and 3,000 euros for 18 years of storage. The child can then decide whether the contract should continue. If you decide to do this, the costs will continue.
During an allogeneic donation, the umbilical cord blood is removed and stored in a public bank. It is then available to patients worldwide, but is not reserved for the child from whom it comes. The donation is free for parents.
What are the benefits of storage or donation?
Autologous storage – that is, that which is intended to benefit the child itself – is not necessarily helpful in the case of leukemia.
This is the assessment of Joannis Mytilineos, medical director of the Central Bone Marrow Donor Register Germany (ZKRD). It has been shown that your own cells cannot fight blood cancer as well as those from a third-party donation.
Also good to know, especially if storage is to continue into adulthood: “There is only a limited number of stem cells in the umbilical cord blood, which is usually not enough for adults,” says the doctor. “But I don’t want to rule out the possibility that the cells can help in the future.”
And: Directed umbilical cord blood donations, for example for siblings, are very rare, says Prof. Gesine Kögler. She heads the José Carreras stem cell bank at the University Hospital Düsseldorf. “In about 25 percent of cases, siblings are suitable donors.”
Allogeneic umbilical cord blood donations are available worldwide. Gesine Kögler emphasizes: “Unrelated umbilical cord blood has been established as a medicine for over 70 hematological diseases.” In other words, for diseases that affect the blood-forming system, such as leukemia, genetic diseases or sickle cell disease.
For 10 to 15 years, adults have also been treated with stem cells from umbilical cord blood donations – two suitable preparations are then used for them so that the number of stem cells is sufficient.
What do parents need to know before donating?
If expectant parents want to donate umbilical cord blood, they should inform themselves before the birth. Because the donation cannot be taken in all maternity hospitals. Lists of collection clinics can be found via the umbilical cord blood banks. An overview of this can be found on the website ZKRD.
The midwife or gynecologist usually also has information on the topic.
In some cases a donation is not possible. For example, if the mother was under 18 years old at the time of birth, if complications occurred during the pregnancy, or if the mother or father have certain illnesses.
How exactly do removal and storage work?
After birth, the blood is taken through a puncture in the umbilical cord vein and collected in a special container. The blood is transported to an umbilical cord bank and processed there so that the components separate. The cell concentrate is mixed with a preservation solution and frozen.
The importance of umbilical cord blood donations is not that great in this country, explains Mytilineos. “This is because we have many registered and reliable stem cell donors.”
In principle, umbilical cord blood preparations have the advantage that they are quickly available. And: They are particularly needed abroad for people in need. Mytilineos therefore says: “Every donation is important.”
#Important #stem #cells #included #special #donation #umbilical #cord #blood