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Myth 1 - Stem Cells are obtained only from embryos.
Fact - Stem cells actually come from quite a few different places. Embryonic stem cells come from embryos, while hematopoitec stem cells come from umbilical cord blood and also bone marrow. There are also mammary stem cells, and even olfactory stem cells.
Myth 2 - People are well informed about cord blood banking.
Fact - Almost 98% of parents find out about cord blood banking only after birth, when collection of their child’s umbilical cord blood is no longer possible. The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 was enacted in hopes of changing this and making sure that practitioners talk with each of the expectant parents they work with about collecting their newborn's umbilical cord blood.
Myth 3 - Donating Umbilical Cord Blood is difficult.
Fact - Donating your newborn's umbilical cord blood is actually very easy. It only takes planning to make it happen (arrangements usually need to be made by the 34th wk of pregnancy). The service is free and most of the details are usually taken care of by the hospital and the nearest cord blood bank.
Myth 4 - Stem cells were only recently found in umbilical cord blood.
Fact - Hematopoitec stem cells were first found in human umbilical cord blood in 1978. In the last 30 years much progress has been made and more and more people are collecting their child’s umbilical cord blood either for donation or to save for future use.
Myth 5 - There are only a few diseases that the stem cells in umbilical cord blood can treat.
Fact - There are actually quite a few diseases that these stem cells can help alleviate. Cancers like leukemia, and lymphoma as well as genetic diseases affecting the blood and immune system like Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome and Sickle Cell Anemia just to name a few!
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