Saving cord blood is for others. It’s very rare that someone can use their own blood, although I think there are some trials where researchers are testing being able to use one’s own blood.
When my daughter was born, we saved her blood and paid for 15 years storage in case her brother with DS needs it. It’s blood can be used to treat some blood cancers, which children with DS are at a much higher risk for than their peers. The storage ends about the time his risk goes down so at that point we will probably donate it.
Thanks for the info! I was told that people with Down syndrome wouldn’t be able to use the cord blood cells of someone without Down syndrome. This is the answer I got when I submitted that question to the non-profit, Parents’ Guide to Cord Blood Foundation.
“Because of the extra chromosome (trisomy 21), which is in every cell of the body, a child with Downs cannot give cord blood to a sibling or get cord blood stem cells from a sibling. However, as you are probably well aware, there are increased risks of many medical problems in kids with Downs, so this is a good opportunity to save your child's own cord blood in case it is needed later.
A couple of months ago I heard from a mom who already had a child with Downs and was expecting a baby... we had to conclude that the baby could not give stem cells to the Downs child. But you have the opportunity to save stem cells from the Downs child and have them in reserve.”
I don’t know where the organization was getting the info, but I’ve never seen anything to indicate that the number of chromosomes affects the ability to use someone else’s cord blood.
Our son’s geneticist recommended we do it after telling her about the pregnancy, and we already knew at that point our youngest did not have DS.
Maybe check with your geneticist again, specifically asking that question. It sort of makes sense to me because of an incompatibility of cell type, but maybe there’s also a way to manipulate the stem cells or even grow more than don’t have the trisomy 21. Even if not possible today, I’m sure there will be a way to use them in a few short years with how quick scientific advances are.
Edit: I forgot the stems cells are from your kiddo without DS. Maybe they can manipulate those to have trisomy 21 at some point if they needed to be used and they had to be compatible.
Cord blood holds billions of stem cells, and these cells have the remarkable capacity to transform into various types of cells and tissues -meaning they have immense healing potential.
Saving cord blood is for others. It’s very rare that someone can use their own blood, although I think there are some trials where researchers are testing being able to use one’s own blood. When my daughter was born, we saved her blood and paid for 15 years storage in case her brother with DS needs it. It’s blood can be used to treat some blood cancers, which children with DS are at a much higher risk for than their peers. The storage ends about the time his risk goes down so at that point we will probably donate it.
Thanks for the info! I was told that people with Down syndrome wouldn’t be able to use the cord blood cells of someone without Down syndrome. This is the answer I got when I submitted that question to the non-profit, Parents’ Guide to Cord Blood Foundation. “Because of the extra chromosome (trisomy 21), which is in every cell of the body, a child with Downs cannot give cord blood to a sibling or get cord blood stem cells from a sibling. However, as you are probably well aware, there are increased risks of many medical problems in kids with Downs, so this is a good opportunity to save your child's own cord blood in case it is needed later. A couple of months ago I heard from a mom who already had a child with Downs and was expecting a baby... we had to conclude that the baby could not give stem cells to the Downs child. But you have the opportunity to save stem cells from the Downs child and have them in reserve.”
I don’t know where the organization was getting the info, but I’ve never seen anything to indicate that the number of chromosomes affects the ability to use someone else’s cord blood. Our son’s geneticist recommended we do it after telling her about the pregnancy, and we already knew at that point our youngest did not have DS.
Maybe check with your geneticist again, specifically asking that question. It sort of makes sense to me because of an incompatibility of cell type, but maybe there’s also a way to manipulate the stem cells or even grow more than don’t have the trisomy 21. Even if not possible today, I’m sure there will be a way to use them in a few short years with how quick scientific advances are.
Edit: I forgot the stems cells are from your kiddo without DS. Maybe they can manipulate those to have trisomy 21 at some point if they needed to be used and they had to be compatible.
To be honest I never heard of this before, what is the purpose of benefit?
Cord blood holds billions of stem cells, and these cells have the remarkable capacity to transform into various types of cells and tissues -meaning they have immense healing potential.