The GCN spoke to Erna West, the general manager and a product specialist for CryoSave, South Africa’s leading stem cell storage company about the options available to parents regarding storing their baby’s umbilical cord stem cells at birth to help treat any blood-related illnesses in future.
Twenty-one years ago, West’s daughter Gizelle was diagnosed with Fanconi anaemia.
A rare hereditary disease that mainly leads to bone marrow failure.
It results in the decreased production of all types of blood cells.
West was an exact donor match for her daughter’s bone marrow transplant and her daughter now leads a healthy life at 30.
Now an advocate for stem cell therapy and storage, West credits stem cells with saving her daughter’s life.
“Stem cell storage is a non-invasive procedure and does not interfere with your birthing plan,” she said.
According to CryoSave, at birth, the baby’s umbilical cord is filled with millions of stem cells.
These cells are young and untainted and can be stored for over 20 years.
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Umbilical cord stem cells are a perfect match for your baby and can provide an option for treating over 80 blood diseases including bone marrow failure or leukemia and have an excellent chance of being a match for a sibling.
“Cord blood contains blood-forming stem cells that can be collected, processed and stored for the potential treatment of blood-related diseases.
“More than 35 000 cord blood transplants have been performed in the world over the last 30 years,” West said.
There aren’t any public cord blood banks in SA and a private cord blood bank is the only option if parents want to gain access to this technology.
Cord blood has distinct advantages in comparison to bone marrow such as:
• Abundant source adult stem cells.
• Easily accessible with non-invasive collection of cells and no risk to the mother or her baby.
• Display an impressive multiplying potential.
• Relatively tolerant of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) mismatches and thereby show low rates of graft-vs-host disease.
• Rarely contaminated with underlying viruses resulting in greater acceptance of UCB stem cells in comparison to those from bone marrow.
An on-going study has published results showing that cord blood can be stored for more than two decades.
“The hot topic in regenerative medicine is the treatment of cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder with cord blood.
“Results published in 2017 have shown significant improvement and subsequently the FDA approved extended access for any patients with cord blood stored at a private cord blood bank,” said West.
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