WHO CAN USE THE UCB STEM CELLS?
If your family chooses to privately bank your baby’s UCB, you will have access to your stem cell samples (vials) at any time, should you ever need them. There is currently no established centralised registry for publicly donated UCB units, thereby lengthening the search time necessary to find a suitable transplant match. Private UCB banking recognises this search time and assures immediate availability of your baby’s stem cells. This ensures a 100% HLA (tissue) match for the donor baby with at least a 25% chance for a sibling match.(UCB stem cells need only between a 3 or 4 to 6 HLA match). There is also a potential use for parents, grandparents or other blood relatives with an adequate HLA match. At the present time we are aware that there are certain diseases that cannot be treated with one’s own stem cells.
