Pregnancy is a beautiful phase in the life of every parent-to-be. It is the beginning of hopes, with promises of the future. Every mum dreams of the day she can finally hold and kiss her precious baby. And during these precious months, a mum-to-be makes a promise to the child she is carrying – that she will always keep her safe, no matter what.

And so, parents start preparing for the arrival of this tiny VVIP: decorating the nursery, buying a beautiful cot, or babyproofing the room. Many even start planning financially for the arrival of their child. And now, thanks to medical advancements and breakthroughs in stem cell research, there is one way parents can prepare that could secure a lifetime of protection for their child.

All throughout this special month, we give parents something to think about: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to safeguard the health of your little precious one

The Power Of Your Baby's Cord Blood - Treatable Diseases & Potential Applications

A parent-to-be often wonders – is Cord blood banking useful? To answer this, it is important to know more about it.

Stem cells are at the forefront of one of the most fascinating and revolutionary areas of medicine today. You probably already know that when your baby is developing in your womb, she gets nutrition via the umbilical cord. The cord blood and the cord lining are very special, containing precious stem cells. Cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing this blood, which would then be readily available should your baby ever need it in the future.

Think of it as a kind of “biological insurance” against many potential diseases and conditions. But how is this possible? It’s all thanks to the unique health attributes of stem cells. In fact today, cord blood stem cells can be used to treat more than 80 diseases, including blood cancers, blood disorders, immune disorders, metabolic disorders and solid tumors. With the advancement of stem cell research (including haematopoietic & mesenchymal stem cells), the potential for future use of stem cell grows. Potential uses of stem cells include treatment of autism, Type 1 diabetes, heart disease, spinal cord failure, liver failure, osteoarthritis, burns, etc.

Amazed at the power of your baby's cord blood? Know more about the ways to store it.

Parents delivering in Singapore have two choices: Store privately in a family bank or donate to a public bank. Parents should ensure they understand all the facts, knowing exactly what cord blood can be used for in both settings and all the pros & cons should be carefully considered when making the decision.

Once the family donates the cord blood they relinquish rights to the sample.

Once the family donates the cord blood they relinquish rights to the sample. The sample gets HLA typed and listed on International Donor Registries where it is searchable by the public for an unrelated transplant. Hence, donor may not have the ability to retrieve the sample or the sample may no longer be available for private use even if there is a need. The time needed for the search and match process of samples from public banks is uncertain and a match is not guaranteed. If a match is found, there may be a cost for retrieving as well as procuring a cord blood sample from public cord blood bank.

Private cord banks preserve your baby’s cord blood sample as well. Storing the cord blood in private cord banks gives the family exclusive rights, and immediate access to the stem cells. There is a storage fee, however you can retrieve the stem cells for free, if you ever need them. It provides you a readily available supply and a better match for autologous transplants.

As a community supported by informed parents, theAsianparent wants to spread awareness about cord blood banking. From now till 14 October 2018, we are partnering with Cryoviva for sharing knowledge and sponsoring exciting prizes!

Take This Quiz. Your knowledge On Cord Blood Can Win You A Prize!

Cord blood banking can only be done once, so it goes without saying that it is indeed an invaluable gift you can give your little one. This chance to safeguard their future shouldn’t be missed. So, Cryoviva is giving pregnant Singaporeans* who register for the quiz a unique opportunity to give this “Gift-of-Life” to their little ones!

The quiz is open for pregnant residents of Singapore. Participants stand a chance to win these fabulous prizes - Clarins Beautiful Mum Set (worth S$185). This is a collection of must-haves for mothers-to-be to maintain their skin tone, elasticity, and to relieve fatigue and fluid retention. Other prizes include vouchers from Mothercare and Sweetest Moments (S$50 each). In addition, every participant can redeem the introductory kit from Cryoviva.

Without further ado, here is the quiz!

Parents-To-Be, Awareness Is the First Step

Congratulations. You have taken your first step towards awareness about cord blood banking. Winners will be announced on theAsianparent Facebook Page.

*Contest Terms & Conditions

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Mums-to-be, take this quiz: Your knowledge on cord blood can win you fabulous prizes