© Shutterstock

Introducing cord blood -

The term ‘cord blood’ refers to the blood that stays in the placenta and umbilical cord after the birth of a baby.

© Shutterstock

The status quo -

Most of the time, cord blood is discarded as medical waste after the baby is born. However, cord blood is actually very valuable and this is a terrible waste.

© Shutterstuck

Valuable resource - Over time, medical professionals have come to realize the great potential of cord blood, which is packed full of stem cells.

© Shutterstock

About stem cells -

Stem cells are sort of like ‘building block’ cells, i.e. cells that can develop into many different types of cells.

© Shutterstock

Blood-producing stem cells -

Cord blood contains blood-producing stem cells, which, when given to someone in need of life-saving treatment, can develop into the type of cells that the patient needs.

© Shutterstock

Cord blood transplants - This means that cord blood transplants have become popular as a cure for patients with a variety of conditions.

© Shutterstock

Diseases it can treat -

Examples of diseases that cord blood has been shown to cure include cancers of the blood, such as leukemia or lymphoma, as well as blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia or thalassemia.

© Shutterstock

Diseases it can treat -

Cord blood has also been used to cure bone marrow failure (when bone marrow doesn’t produce the cells it should) and immunodeficiencies (when the immune system doesn’t work properly).

© Shutterstock

Diseases it can treat -

There are also some metabolic disorders, which affect how waste products are broken down in the body, which have been cured by cord blood transplants.

© Shutterstock

Number crunch -

As it stands, cord blood can be used to treat nearly 80 diseases, and that number only stands to rise as research develops.

© Shutterstock

Limited awareness -

However, awareness about cord blood banking is low. In the United States, for example, cord blood is only collected 5-10% of the time.

© Shutterstock

Free of charge -

This is despite the fact that cord blood donation is pain-free (the blood is extracted directly from the umbilical cord) and can be done for free.

© Shutterstock

Public banks -

In the United States, parents can donate their baby’s cord blood to a public bank free of charge, provided that they understand they will not necessarily have access to it if they need it.

© Shutterstock

Public banks -

The public banks are connected by an international registry and doctors from all over the world can access it to treat their patients.

© Shutterstock

Celebs who have used cord blood banking -

In fact, a number of famous athletes, including David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, have already opted for cord blood stem cells to treat their sports injuries.

© Getty Images

Private banks -

There is also the option to store a baby’s cord and placenta blood with a private bank, so the parents can access and harvest it, should their child become ill.

© Shutterstock

Celebs who've done it - With this in mind, it is unsurprising that an increasing number of celebrities are opting to store their baby’s placenta and umbilical cord blood.

© Shutterstock

Nick Carter -

In 2016, Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys revealed on social media that he had banked his baby’s cord blood at a private bank.

© Getty Images

Nick Carter - His post came with the hashtag #LOOKITUP, encouraging other parents to read up on and learn about the process of cord blood banking.

© Getty Images

Giuliana Rancic -

TV personality Giuliana Rancic and her husband also decided to bank after experiencing fertility problems and receiving a breast cancer diagnosis.

© Getty Images

Giuliana Rancic -

They have previously spoken in public about the importance of banking cord blood, particularly for parents who have a family history of diseases.

© Getty Images

Ana Ortiz - Actress Ana Ortiz, who is best known for her role as Hilda Suarez on ‘Ugly Betty,’ has also opened up about her decision to opt for blood banking.

© Getty Images

Ana Ortiz -

She decided to go for it after receiving a collection kit during her baby shower back in 2011. She has described it as a “proactive way of planning for the worst.”

© Getty Images

Zoe Gillings-Brier -

Four-time Winter Olympics snowboarder Zoe Gillings-Brier announced in summer 2019 that she would bank the blood of her second child, just as she did with the first.

© Getty Images

Zoe Gillings-Brier - For Gillings-Brier, the decision was based on her understanding that stem cells can be used to repair sports injuries and shorten recovery time.

© Getty Images

Options for showing support -

If you want to encourage cord blood banking or help out in other ways, fortunately there are many things you can do, even if you don't have a medical background.

© Shutterstock

Volunteering -

For starters you might like to volunteer at a hospital where there is a cord blood bank. This will help you better understand the procedure and any related problems.

© Shutterstock

Spread the word -

You might also like to form your own campaign, perhaps by writing something or posting on social media. It's about getting the word out and spreading awareness.

© Shutterstock

In conclusion -

At the end of the day, anything you can do to raise awareness of the benefits of cord blood banking will help. What are you waiting for?

Sources: (National Today) (NHS) (Vice)

See also: The benefits of blood donation and the celebs who support it

© Shutterstock