In the umbilical cord there are a considerable number of hematopoietic cells – those that can give rise to several other blood cell types. For this reason, and also because of the difficulty in finding a compatible marrow donor, umbilical cord blood has been a alternative for the treatment of patients with malignant diseases that affect blood cells, such as: leukemias, lymphomas, severe anemias, congenital anemias, hemoglobinopathies, congenital immunodeficiencies, multiple myeloma, and other diseases of the system blood and immune.
The main advantages of this type of donation are: immediate availability of cells, use of blood from a source that even little some time ago it was considered hospital waste and the possibility of carrying out the transplant without the donor undergoing procedures surgical procedures. Furthermore, for the use of these cells, a lower percentage of compatibility is needed than in the case of marrow.
One of the limitations of this method would be the existence of a weight limit for the patient, depending on the amount of stem cells removed from the cord blood. However, today a technique is used that consists of adding two or more compatible cords for the same person, dodging this issue.
Considering these arguments, in 2001 the Umbilical and Placental Cord Blood Bank (BSCUP) was inaugurated and, in 2004, the Ordinance Ministerial No. 2381 officially created, at the national level, the BrasilCord Network, coordinated by Inca and supervised by the Ministry of Health. Such initiatives allowed the creation of a national network of umbilical cord and placental blood banks, seeking to benefit as many recipients as possible. These must be registered in order to identify a compatible donor to receive the cells via transfusion.
If there is interest in the donation, the mother must sign a consent form; provide information about their history and family (via a questionnaire), in order to avoid abnormalities and to consult in the prenatal period. Remember that the mother must be between 18 and 36 years old and have a gestational age above 35 weeks at the time of collection.
Soon after birth, the umbilical cord is separated from the baby and placenta. The blood from the latter and the cord undergoes a drainage process, and is then collected in bags. These are taken to specific blood banks and stored in liquid nitrogen tanks at -190°C, being able to be preserved for up to 20 years.
In order for the release of blood for transplantation to be possible, in accordance with the instructions of current legislation, the mother must undergo serological tests between two and six months after delivery, during which time tests are carried out on the collected material, to exclude the possibility of genetic diseases and infectious diseases.
It is noteworthy that the donation is voluntary, confidential and can save a life!
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By Mariana Araguaia
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
ARAGUAIA, Mariana. "Umbilical Cord Donation"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/doencas/doacao-cordao-umbilical.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
