- Indialantic, Florida, United States
Cord Blood is an alternative source of stem cells for hematopoietic and immunologic reconstitution of patients that do not have matched related donorsCB contains immune cells that are immature; as a result, transplants can be performed without 'perfect' human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching between donor and recipient with an acceptable incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The ability to use partially matched CB grafts significantly increases the probability of finding suitable units for patients. Thus, if the older sibling is ill and the mother is pregnant at the time, your doctor may recommend collecting cord blood for the needs of siblings. The collecting and storing cord blood for a family member (family member banking) may be recommended for a newborn who has a sibling with a disease that can be successfully treated with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).