title: The rationale behind collecting umbilical cord blood.
abstract: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an increasingly important and rich source of stem cells. These cells can be used for the treatment of many diseases, including cancers and immune and genetic disorders. For patients for whom no suitable related donor is available, this source of hematopoietic stem cells offers substantial advantages, notably the relative ease of procurement, the absence of risk to the donor, the small likelihood of transmitting clinically important infections, the low risk of severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the rapid availability of placental blood for transplantation centers. Even though almost 80 diseases are treatable with cord blood stem cells, 97 percent of cord blood is still disposed of after birth and lost for patients in need! To improve availability of stem cells to a broader community, efforts should be undertaken to collect cord blood and expectant parents should be properly informed of their options with regard to cord blood banking.
authors.affiliation: Ivf Centers Prof. Zech, Bregenz, Austria and Department For Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Nicolas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Zech
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, Usa, and Center For Reproductive Medicine, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Nikolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Broer
authors.affiliation: Vivocell Biosolutions Gmbh, Graz, Austria and Langenfeld/Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ribitsch
authors.affiliation: Ivf Centers Prof. Zech, Bregenz, Austria and Department For Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Mathias H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zech
authors.affiliation: Vivocell Biosolutions Gmbh, Graz, Austria and Langenfeld/Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Broer
authors.affiliation: Klinikum Leverkusen, Department of Obstretics and Gynecology, Leverkusen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kubilay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ertan
authors.affiliation: Translational Center For Regenerative Medicine, University of Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Preisegger
keywords: Stem cell; allogeneic; autologous; collection; transplantation; umbilical cord blood