Menu
Cord Blood Directory
The umbilical cord, the source of nutrients and oxygen for babies in the womb, contains stem cells. These immature cells have the potential to grown into other types of cells such as muscle or bone. Stem cells have attracted the attention of researchers as a lifesaving resource for transplantation in patients with leukemia and other conditions. Many parents have banked the blood from their newborns' umbilical cord as a kind of insurance should the need arise for a transplant or other use of stem cells. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about the use of umbilical cord blood, how it is extracted and banked, how cord blood may be used, and much more.
Medical Reference
Bone Marrow Transplants and Stem Cell Transplants for Cancer Treatment
Stem cell transplants -- from bone marrow or other sources -- can be an effective treatment for people with certain forms of cancer, such as leukemia and lymphoma. Find out about stem cells transplants and bone marrow transplants in this article from WebMD.
Cord Blood Banking: Deciding About Public or Private Donations
Should you bank your infant's cord blood? Should you use a public or private cord blood bank? WebMD gives you information that may help you decide.
Bone Marrow Transplantation and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: Questions and Answers
Bone Marrow Transplantation and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: Questions and Answers
Fetal Blood Sampling (FBS)
Fetal blood sampling helps check for birth defects. It can also show anemia and infections.
Features
Anatomy of a Decision
Cord blood banking has been available for only five years, and parents who hear about it may never have thought deeply about it before.
How Far Should We Go?
Few medical or scientific issues have stirred up more controversy in recent years than the idea of using cells and tissue from human embryos in medical research.
Can the Umbilical Cord Save Lives?
Once tossed in the trash, umbilical cords are now thought to help kids with a host of ailments. So why aren't more of them being saved?
Cord Blood Banking: Your Questions Answered
Find answers to common questions parents have about banking their newborn's umbilical cord blood.