Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord Is Precious, Even After Birth.

Your baby’s umbilical cord is quite humble and ordinary looking on the outside but on the inside is a substance laden with almost unbelievable powers; life-giving and life-saving powers.  The blood delivered to your baby via the umbilical cord has helped to grow and sustain your baby until birth and even after birth, your baby could reap the rewards of the blood from their umbilical cord.  Here are 4 facts about your baby’s umbilical cord which you may or may not know:

1. Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord Contains Stem Cells

Your baby’s umbilical cord contains blood rich in stem cells which has helped to nurture your unborn baby and help them grow, the stem cells in your baby’s umbilical cord blood hold great promise for future health.  Not only is the blood found in your baby’s umbilical cord rich in stem cells but the umbilical cord itself is also rich in stem cells.  The tissue from your baby’s umbilical cord is rich in a particular kind of stem cell, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, these stem cells hold great promise for regenerative medicine purposes.

2. Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord Is Approximately 55 cm.

It is difficult to say just how long your baby’s umbilical cord is until your baby makes their appearance.  However, an umbilical cord is, on average, 50 – 60 centimeters long.  An umbilical cord under 35 cm is considered to be short and a cord over 70 cm is considered to be long.

3. Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord Contains Approximately 75 ml of Cord Blood.

Until your baby makes an appearance it is difficult to say the precise volume of blood contained in your baby’s umbilical cord, however the average amount  is 75ml.  Umbilical cord blood contains more stem cells by volume than the equivalent amount of bone marrow.

4. Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord Could Save Lives.

The stem cells found within your baby’s umbilical cord and cord blood are increasingly useful in both transplant and regenerative medicine.  Choosing to bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood could result in it being used to treat the illness of a loved one, a stranger or even your baby should they ever need it.  How your baby’s umbilical cord blood would be used would be dependant on how you chose to store it at birth.  You can find out more about the different ways in which you can bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood here.