Beyond Stem Cells, Hope in What Else You're Banking: Cord Blood Tregs
You'll hear a lot about stem cells when learning about cord blood banking, but you may also come across the term Tregs, too. While a Treg may not be able to do all the things that a cord blood stem...
View ArticleCPD vs. Heparin: Cord Blood Collection Bag Anti-Coagulants Explained
Blood banks including cord blood banks use anti-coagulants in their collection bags to combat the coagulation of blood and supply the cells inside with nourishment. While there are a number of...
View ArticleWhere Do You Find Stem Cells, and Why Does That Matter?
The term stem cell may conjure up some rare type of cell that can only be found in very specific locations. The opposite is really true. Stem cells are pretty ubiquitous; however, this doesn't mean...
View ArticleIt’s Not Just Stem Cells That Are Valuable in Cord Blood: Let's Look at Cord...
While we may focus on stem cells quite a lot, other parts of cord blood are showing promise for the treatment of disease. With the ease of collecting and cryo-preserving cord blood natural killer...
View ArticleIn-House versus Outsourced Cord Blood Labs
Pregnancy is no easy task. There’s a lot to do, and a lot to deal with. One of the more time-consuming aspects is all the research that needs to be performed on everything from the best car seat to...
View ArticleAABB, CLIA … What Do These Accreditations Mean?
AABB, CLIA, etc. It can all be a bit much, but they are more than just a bunch of letters. Here is the rundown: All cord blood banks need to be FDA-registered, which means all cord blood banks need to...
View ArticleStem Cell Tourism and Other Experimental Treatments
From Peyton Manning reportedly flying to Germany in 2011 for a bulging disk in his neck to Drew Pomeranz receiving an injection in his elbow earlier this year, many have been taking leaps of faith...
View ArticleWhat is the Glucose Tolerance Test?
The glucose tolerance test takes approx. one hour and is performed between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you have risk factors for gestational diabetes, the test may be performed in the first...
View ArticleA Cliff's Guide to the Phases of Clinical Trials
There are a number of clinical trials and scientific studies underway testing the effectiveness of cord blood and cord tissue in the treatment of various conditions. The various kinds and phases of...
View ArticleWhat is the Group B Strep Test?
Group B streptococcus (group B strep, or GBS) is a type of bacterium that a pregnant woman may be carrying and that could ultimately be transferred to the baby during delivery. Up to 40 percent of...
View ArticleHow Does a Cord Blood Transplant Work?
A stem cell transplant, or immune system reconstitution, is used to replace maligned cells or invigorate the system’s production of new healthy cells. This may be needed when someone undergoes...
View ArticleTaking Care of You: Mother’s Health During Pregnancy
Whether you are becoming a first-time parent or growing your family, now is the time to focus on yourself for the betterment of the little bundle growing within. Pregnancy is the first step toward a...
View ArticleGetting Ready for the Big Day: Preparing for Labor & Delivery
The big day. It is a little scary. But, as they say, with little bit of work here and there, you should be well prepared. Let’s look at what you can do to get ready for labor and delivery and the...
View ArticleDoctor Visits & Tests during Pregnancy
Regular pre-natal examinations are a priority during any pregnancy. Here's the visit schedule you can most often expect for a low-risk, term pregnancy. If you have a pre-existing medical condition,...
View Article37 Possible Treatments for Pregnancy Stretch Marks
Most researchers and moms would agree that there is no cure-all for stretch marks, but there is some clinical evidence available that shows the signs of stretch marks can be reduced. Let’s take a look...
View ArticleChildhood Prodigy Suffering from Sickle Cell Finds Hope in Cord Blood
Caesar Sant is something of a childhood prodigy. He started playing the violin at two years old, and amazed his instructors with his prowess on the stringed instrument. At four, he could do...
View ArticleParents' Interest in Cord Blood To Treat Autism, CP Grows Fervently
It's been a short six months since the FDA granted Duke University Medical Center additional access in the treatment of brain injuries like autism and cerebral palsy using stored cord blood, but since...
View ArticleThe Research Behind 5 Common Ways To Naturally Induce Labor
As the 40th week draws near and the aches and pains become nearly too much to bear, many moms look for ways to help induce or bring about delivery. In a study of 201 women who delivered at a Midwestern...
View ArticleCounting your baby's cord blood stem cells: What do TNC, CD34+, CFU and other...
The goal of cord blood banking is to capture as many stem cells as possible, but how do you know if your baby's cord blood collection is a good one? Determining the exact number of stem cells in any...
View ArticleMisconceptions about Cesarean Sections and Cord Blood Banking
Some parents may worry that having a C-section will inhibit their ability to collect cord blood. To be clear: Collecting cord blood following a Cesarean birth is essentially the same as collecting...
View ArticleWho Can Use the Umbilical Cord Blood?
Cord blood banking is as much for the baby as it is for existing and future additions to the family. This is because there is not only an opportunity for the baby to use his or her own cord blood but...
View ArticleHow To Get The Best Cord Blood Collection
There are a number of ways that your doctor or midwife may not be able to get a large volume of cord blood. Let's looks at the factors that have been shown to negatively and positively affect the...
View ArticleAre We Getting Closer to Cord Blood Being a Standard Treatment for Parents, Too?
A recent study demonstrates how moms and dads may be closer to using their baby’s stored cord blood as a standard treatment in blood cancers and other diseases.
View ArticleOdds of Using Cord Blood Stored in a Family Bank
The odds of needing one's own cord blood are likely to rise in the future as new discoveries are made for the treatment of certain diseases with cord blood.
View ArticleCelebrate National Cord Blood Awareness Month with Cryo-Cell
July is Cord Blood Awareness Month, and cord blood education is the first step to helping parents make a fundamental decision for the future of their families by banking their child's cord blood. We...
View ArticleThe Future of Public Cord Blood Banking
Public cord blood banks are facing some unique challenges with sustainability, donor diversity, and financial woes, which are forcing many public cord blood banks to shut down their facilities. With...
View ArticleTop 5 (Not So Known) Questions About Cord Blood Banking
When it comes to parenthood, expecting parents have many questions and concerns as to what is best for their little one. Cord blood banking should be an aspect of consideration. Many understand the...
View ArticleCan Cord Blood Stem Cells Help with HLHS?
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a type of congenital heart disease which affects 1 to 3 of every 10,000 children. Treatment for this condition consists of three rounds of surgery. However,...
View ArticleISCT Speaks Out: Are Third-Party T-Cell Blood Banks Ethical?
Recently, there has been a proliferation of start-up companies to cryogenically preserve the blood of adults for future use. These companies have come under recent scrutiny after the International...
View ArticleWhat is the Newborn Apgar Test?
The Apgar test is used by obstetricians and midwives as a way to capture a brief glance into a newborn’s general health in intervals of one minute, five minutes, and ten minutes after birth to...
View ArticleAn Impactful Message from Dr. Kurtzberg: Cord Blood Transplant Stories
This past October, Cryo-Cell’s passionate team of cord blood educators met with Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, from Duke University Medical Center, to hear about the latest developments in clinical trials...
View Article2019 World Cord Blood Day Highlights
November 15th was World Cord Blood Day (WCBD), a day organized and hosted by Save the Cord Foundation to promote awareness and education on the topic of cord blood. The day’s presentations centered...
View ArticleCord Blood Saved My Son's Life: A Mother's Perspective
Mary Webb was joined by her children, Quentin (16) and Jory (11), to speak at Cryo-Cell's Cord Blood Educator Conference this year. At the age of four, Quentin was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic...
View ArticleCord Blood and Cord Tissue Research: A Decade in Retrospect
In the spirit of retrospection, as we have entered a new decade, we wanted to pay homage to the advancements this past decade has seen in regards to cord blood and cord tissue research. The past ten...
View ArticleIs There Potential for Cord Blood NK Cells to Treat Cancer and Coronavirus?
Among the different types of stem cells that cord blood contains, natural killer (NK) cells exhibit unique properties capable of targeting cancer cells and virus-infected cells. With the sudden...
View ArticleHow Are Coronavirus, Pregnancy, & Cord Blood Banking Linked?
With the sudden outbreak of coronavirus, pregnant women have become concerned about how COVID-19 will affect them. As the race to find a fast and effective treatment option continues, many are seeking...
View ArticleWhat Are the Most Recent Clinical Trials Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells?
Besides mesenchymal stem cells being explored in the fight against pneumonia induced by COVID-19, there are numerous other current applications of MSCs in clinical trials. Mesenchymal stem cells are a...
View ArticleWhat to Consider When Looking for Newborn Genetic Testing
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly four million babies are born in the United States each year. It is reported that 98% of these children born are tested within the first...
View ArticleCord Blood Awareness Month: The Future of Umbilical Stem Cell Banking
Since its establishment of the first private cord blood bank in the United States, Cryo-Cell has long been a leader in the industry of umbilical stem cell preservation. More than thirty years later,...
View ArticleFrom the Mouths of Healthcare Providers: Cord Blood Banking
As we stand on the precipice of a more virtual and socially-distanced future, we want to ensure that expectant parents feel connected with cord blood banking. July marks Cord Blood Awareness Month, a...
View ArticleIs the Need for Cord Blood Banking on the Rise in 2020?
2020 has undoubtedly been a year of unpredictability. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical community has shifted its sight on finding innovative treatment options for emerging...
View ArticleIs Placenta Stem Cell Banking Worth the Hype?
Since the placenta is comprised of stem cells from varying origins, some view the placenta as valuable to mother and baby after birth. Some private cord blood banks offer parents the option to store...
View ArticleWorld Cord Blood Day 2020 Synopsis: A Unique Era for Cord Blood
World Cord Blood Day (WCBD )is a day organized and hosted by Save the Cord Foundation to promote awareness and education on the topic of cord blood. This year’s event featured many keynote speakers...
View ArticleBirth Defects Prevention Month: Tips for A Healthy Pregnancy
January marks National Birth Defects Prevention Month, and this year’s theme is “Best For You. Best For Baby.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 33 babies born...
View ArticleA Current Analysis On Whether Pregnant And Breastfeeding Women Should Get...
In an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate the devastating economic and psychological toll of the pandemic, the FDA has issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for two vaccines. Amongst...
View ArticleGlucose Screening & Gestational Diabetes
You may have heard that too much of a good thing can be bad; we’re sad to say this even applies to all of those sweets you have been craving lately. At some point in your pregnancy, your OBGYN will...
View ArticleNational Pediatric Transplant Week: The Potential of Cord Blood
National Pediatric Transplant Week is part of Donate Life America’s National Donate Life Month, which spreads awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation. This year, April 18th-24th marks the week...
View ArticleUmbilical Cord Tissue MSC Trials on the COVID-19 Research Radar
Mesenchymal stromal cells found within umbilical cord tissue (UC-MSC) have distinctive characteristics that make them a desirable subject of study. These cells are readily available, lack exposure to...
View ArticleThe Burden of Hospitalization Post UCB Transplant vs. Other HCST Sources
The accessibility, affordability, post-transplant care, quality of match and likelihood of grafting for each HCST source is carefully considered to determine the best transplant outcome for an...
View ArticleParents’ Perspective on Cord Blood Banking
We feel it’s important for all parents-to-be to know their options regarding their babies’ umbilical cord stem cells and hear from other parents about their banking journeys. That’s why, in honor of...
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