Don’t Throw That Cord Away :: My Story of Saving Umbilical Cord Blood
When I learned I was pregnant with my first child, I was (pleasantly) surprised. I thought I would not be able to conceive. Some women in my family had struggled with fertility, and I had been told that due to my medical history, there was a good chance I would be unable to conceive a child. When I was 21 years old, I was diagnosed with acute leukemia and underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and took newly approved medication that saved my life. However, because of how seriously ill I was when I was diagnosed, there was no time to make plans for my future fertility.
In addition to all the normal things moms-to-be worry about, I worried that I would pass along my complicated medical profile. As a kid, I was “about half sick,” as my mother used to say. I was allergic to feathers, animals, grass, flowers — basically anything fun, cute or joyous. I had asthma in the days before personal inhalers, when the treatment was to strap on a nebulizer in the emergency room. My poor mother couldn’t ever leave me: she went fishing one morning with some of her siblings. A sheriff showed up at the lake to bring her to the hospital, where doctors worried they’d have to perform an appendectomy without adult consent.
As an adult, I suffer from multiple chronic conditions, including an immune deficiency. When I had leukemia, my three siblings were tested to see if one was a bone marrow match. I was fortunate that one sister was a match, and even more fortunate that I never needed the transplant. When I was pregnant, I was worried about what would happen if this baby ever needed a transplant.
Private Cord Blood Storage
To ease my concerns about what I viewed as my sub-par genetic profile, we decided to harvest and store the baby’s umbilical cord blood. The first cord blood transplant was in 1989, and since then, more than 35,000 patients have benefited from cord blood transplants. These birthing tissues are largely seen as medical waste, but they are in fact, “a rich source of stem cells that can be transplanted to restore normal development and function in blood diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, inherited genetic disorders, bone marrow failure, and immune deficiency diseases” (Cord Blood Association). The cells in cord blood can treat a variety of conditions, including autism, sickle cell anemia, cerebral palsy, diabetes, and more.
The process of harvesting the cells was easy! I completed some health forms with one of the major national companies that preserves cord blood. The questionnaire is similar to the questions asked of those who donate blood. The company sent a kit for us to bring to the hospital when I went into labor. We notified our doctors that we would be banking the cord blood, and when we arrived, we handed them the kit. The kit includes all the supplies the hospital needs for the cord tissue, cord blood, and maternal blood sample. The doctors and nurses take care of the collection during the birthing process (vaginal or c-section). The company collects an initial fee to process the samples.
After the baby’s birth, my husband called the company to arrange for pick-up. They asked him a few questions (the baby’s day/time of birth, name, and whether anything changed with my health after I completed the health forms). The company provides instructions about how to seal the collection kit and dispatches a courier, who ideally arrives 4-5 hours later. The company then processes and stores the samples. Today, many companies provide genomic testing and microbial testing, as well as newborn digestive health tests (for celiac and lactose intolerance). Some testing is optional.
Thankfully, we have not needed a transplant for either child, but for a minimal fee each year to maintain the storage, we have peace of mind. Research is ongoing about how long cord blood can remain viable in cryopreservation, with the most recent findings showing up to 23.5 years. If a child ever needs to use the cord blood, the company works with their doctors to provide documentation and samples and to coordinate delivery to the appropriate medical facility.
Public Cord Blood Donation
It’s also possible to donate cord blood so that other children and adults can use it to cure diseases! The first public cord blood bank was established in 1991. The Health Resources Administration regulates and partially funds the National Cord Blood Inventory and the National Marrow Donor Program / BeTheMatch registry.
When I had leukemia, several friends and family members donated blood and plasma as direct donations to me, and I benefitted from dozens of other anonymous donors. I am eternally grateful to those willing to literally give of themselves to help me heal. We have learned in recent years that cord blood is even more effective than bone marrow donations in treating certain blood-related cancers like the one I had.
The collection process works very similarly to what is described above, except there is no cost for the mother. Before one’s 34th week of pregnancy, she can register with a public cord blood blank, like Cord For Life, which sends a collection kit, picks it up after the birth, and processes and stores the samples to use in life-saving transplants for over 80 FDA-approved uses. At no cost, you can donate something that would otherwise be thrown away to save a child’s life! Imagine if everyone did this – there may then be no need for private collection because so many samples would be available. And, thousands of lives could be saved or improved!
