What are cord blood testing and cord blood banking?Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord after a baby is born. The umbilical cord is the rope-like structure that connects a mother to her unborn baby during pregnancy. It contains blood vessels that bring nourishment to the baby and remove waste products. After a baby is born, the cord is cut with a small piece remaining. This piece will heal and form the baby's belly button.Cord blood testingOnce the umbilical cord has been cut, a health care provider may take a sample of blood from the cord for testing. These tests may measure a variety of substances and check for infections or other disorders.Cord blood bankingSome people want to bank (save and store) blood from their baby's umbilical cord for future use in treating diseases. The umbilical cord is full of special cells called stem cells. Unlike other cells, stem cells have the ability to grow into many different types of cells. These include bone marrow, blood cells, and brain cells. Stem cells in cord blood can be used to treat certain blood disorders, including leukemia, Hodgkin disease, and some types of anemia. Researchers are studying whether stem cells can also treat other types of diseases.
