Although long in the womb give the necessary nutrients the fetus, umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born rarely noticed to the world.
Now, instead of dumped or buried, blood from the umbilical cord can be stored and used later if the baby is suffering from the disease.
Contained in the umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or blood-forming stem cells. In addition to the umbilical cord, HSCs was also found in bone marrow and peripheral blood.
Stem cells from umbilical cord blood, according to Andrew Ekaputra Krishna, PhD, laboratory director Cordlife, has several advantages over bone marrow or peripheral blood.
"Stem cells from umbilical cord younger and pure. Moreover, because it has been stored since the beginning, more readily available if needed because donors do not have to," Andrew said in a media event education about stem cell storage technology in Jakarta, Tuesday (14/5 / 2013).
He explained, because it has the ability to replace and regenerate damage genetics, stem cells can treat some diseases related to blood disorders.
"Currently, stem cells are widely used in treating blood cancers, such as leukemia, neuroblastoma, or lymphoma," he said.
Research that has entered the stage of clinical trials also led to the use of stem cells in the disease cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, diabetes type one up.
According to Dr. Rama Tjandara, Sp OG, from Hospital Pantai Indah Kapok Jakarta, in the treatment of leukemia in children, stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood have been done in the last 30 years.
"In the future, stem cells to treat degenerative diseases such as heart disease and stroke could be done. Currently still under clinical trials," he said on the same occasion.
Stem cell therapy for the treatment of heart, for example, in Indonesia, has been carried out on 150 cases. "But still using stem cells from the bone marrow," said Rama.
For the case of the use of stem cells from umbilical cord blood, according to Rama, so far he has had one patient in Indonesia using the "savings" to overcome the cord blood disorders motor development.
"At birth, the patient's weight is below normal. He has some motor delays. Then at the age of 2 years of therapy with stem cells from umbilical cord blood alone. Quite progress, now he already speak fluently and development of other capabilities," he said .
Cord blood collection procedure performed immediately after the baby is born. According to Rama, after a few minutes, the umbilical cord will be clamped and a needle is inserted into a blood vessel in the umbilical cord blood to take out and put in a special pouch.
"This procedure is not at all painful or risky for the mother and baby," he said.
After the retrieval process is completed, within 48 hours, the blood will be processed and stored in a blood bank. The blood will be used later if the patient suffers from a blood disease or in adulthood suffer from degenerative diseases.
However, of course there are costs associated with the parent to keep the blood. "It could be considered an investment and health insurance to his son inherited from our parents," said Andrew.