A growing number of ingenious gift givers have discovered a special kind of present for new babies and their families.

It’s a contribution to help them collect and store the newborn stem cells in their baby’s umbilical cord blood. Banked cord blood provides a unique opportunity to protect that child or another family member’s future health. It’s one of the most valuable gifts anyone can give. Doctors use the newborn stem cells in cord blood to treat over 75 serious illnesses, such as leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, and other serious blood and immune disorders. As medical research evolves, so will stem cell therapies, with new treatments expected for heart disease, diabetes, brain damage, cerebral palsy, stroke, and other age-related conditions, offering families more and more uses for banked cord blood. Currently, scientists believe, stem cells similar to those found in cord blood can develop into replacement cells for damaged organs. Clinical trials recently revealed that stem cells can heal heart tissue damaged after a heart attack or repair damaged areas of the liver. Unlocking that amazing potential could generate new therapies for diseases only treated with traditional medical therapies in the past.

Newborn stem cells derived from cord blood are a noncontroversial source of stem cells. They only come from a live birth, have similar characteristics to embryonic stem cells, and are currently emerging as a viable research alternative to embryonic cells. Newborn stem cells are easy to obtain and immediately available if needed. They are unique because they do not have to match the recipient as closely as bone marrow, offer less chance of being rejected, and can be used by siblings, the child’s mother and other relatives, in many circumstances where bone marrow cells cannot. There is, however, only one opportunity with each child to collect and store cord blood-right after birth. The procedure is quick, easy, painless, and completely safe for mother and baby.

Families that bank cord blood have peace of mind knowing that related stem cells are immediately available if ever needed. So when you’re considering what to get a loved one’s latest addition, you may care to think about giving a gift that will last a lifetime.

Although clinical experiments and research studies are still going on to use cord blood stem cells in treating many more life threatening diseases, there is no doubt about the importance and utility of cord blood. In India too, medical professionals are advising expecting parents to opt for stem cell banking with cord blood storage companies for safeguarding their child and the entire family against major illnesses & meet any future transplant needs. Seeing its established utility, many celebrities like Raveena Tandon, Priya Dutt(MP), film actor Madhavan’s wife are coming forward to make umbilical cord banks in India popular among would be parents. More and more expecting parents are approaching umbilical cord blood banks in India for registration. In India, cord blood banking has become one of the hottest discussed topic in medical and parent fraternity.

Though the acceptance of cord blood storage companies in India is increasing fast but even then many parents have many doubts about the purpose and importance of cord blood storage. Some of these are -

* Is it against traditional values?

*Whether it is possible to reserve cord blood exclusively for their use or not.

* Is it too costly an affair? Or should they invest so much for cord blood banking?

* What are the options?

Many Indian parents still think that cord blood collection is a painful procedure. But it is a pure myth. Cord blood is collected only after completion of childbirth and nothing is done with the child. The blood is extracted from the cut off cord that would have been otherwise thrown away. The collected cord blood can then be reserved exclusively for the use by the family by a private cord blood bank. While the cost of the cord blood banking in India has come down over the last few years, many still argue that it is on the higher side but its utility in future treatments and transplant needs justifies this investment.

Seeing the wide scope for cord blood bank in India, Cryobanks International has set up its India operations to help out willing parents. Cryobanks India is going to establish its collection center across the country. Medical experts believe that the sector would heat up further with the number of parents opting for stem cell banking increasing day by day not only in metro cities but in relatively small towns also.

Seeing the current trends, it can be said that this is just the starting – cord blood banks in India are going to bring a major revolution in Indian medical science.

Cryobanks International India’s Head Office is in Gurgaon.
Cryobanks International India Pvt. Ltd.
129 Pace City -1, Sector-37
Gurgaon (Haryana) – 122001
Our Network in India:
Agra
B -21 Akhilesh Tower Hariparbat
Agra- 282002

Phone:   0562-4000531/ 9219302208
Ahmedabad
204 – Sakar – 3, Nr. C.U Shah College,
Ashram Road
Ahmedabad- 380006

Phone:  079 66054465/ 27540910
Ajmer
C/O Specialized Diagnostics, 10/287,
near J.L.N. Medical College, Kala bag
Ajmer- 305001

Phone: 9414007957
Allahabad
3/A.Muir Road.Opp.Bans Mandi,
Manmohan Park, Katra,
Allahabad- 211002
Aurangabad
Bhartiya Hosp.Premises, Manjeet Nagar,
Opp. Akashwani, Jalna Road
Aurangabad- 431005

Phone: 9975605466
Bangalore
Cryobanks Intl India Pvt. Ltd. No.,
337, 10th Main, SBM Colony,
Srinivas Nagar, BSK Ist Stage
Bangalore- 560050

Phone: 9902525344 / 9902830595

Bareilly
Ranjan Diagnostic Centre,
Shree Krishna Leela Complex,
Bareilly

Phone: 9837842160

Baroda
A-6/122, Associated Society Opp Tube Compound,
Old Padra Road
Baroda- 390020

Phone:    0265-2310580/ 9824160266

Belgaum
No. 1564, Marvgali,
Belgaum- 590002

Phone: 9743122866
Calicut
1st Floor , Seema Towers,
Mavoor Road Junction
Calicut- 673001

Phone: 9349101739

Chandigarh
H.No.-1196,Sector -37 -B
Chandigarh- 160036

Phone: 9888503581 / 9876693030

Chennai
G.F-3, Chandralekha Muthu Swami Street,
Kodambakkam High Road, Nungambakkam
Chennai- 600034

Phone: 42664357 / 09444563173

Cochin
Vasudeva complex, Opp. HDFC Bank,
Palarivattom ,
Cochin- 682025

Phone: 9745611195

Cuttak
Beside Grand Nursing Home, First Floor,
Hema Maharaj Sweets Buling Opp.Bus Stand,
Badambadi
Cuttak- 753012

Coimbatore
7 / 10 – K.K.Nagar, New Sidhapudur,
Coimbatore- 641038

Dehradun
1 – Chakrata Road
Dehradun- 248001

Phone:     0135-2100730/ 9319702036

Erode
Door no 122, chinnamuthu main st.
Edaiyankattu Valasu
Erode- 638011

Phone: 9962505534 / 9003705552

Gorakhpur
Chandra Patient Care Centre,
Behind Baldev Plaza, Nr Khowa Mandi,
Golghar
Gorakhpur- 273001

Phone: 9919396165

Guwahati
Rajgarh Road,Near Bharalu Bridge,
Bhangagarh
Guwahati- 781005

Phone: 9864802697

Hubli
Nr.Shakthi Pickles Factory,
Junglipeth, Old Hubli,
Hubli- 580024

Phone: 9886342711

Hyderabad
9-4-86/168/1/E,2nd floor,
Salarjung colony Opp.Yousuf takri, Toli chowki,
Hyderabad- 500008

Hyderabad
24-28/1-38/229,Punnaiha Colony Rokallapalem
Hyderabad- 520003

Phone: 9395199345 / 9985666683
Indore
3 – Jarora Complex,G-7, Urvashi Complex ,
Opp. Tempo Stand
Indore- 452001

Jaipur
10 – Narain Singh Circle
Jaipur- 302001

Phone: 9314430136 / 9314660100

Jalna
Pathologogical Services,
Near Amarchayya Talkies
Jalna

Phone: 9325821642

Jamshedpur
Shop No.: 0, 2nd Floor,
Yash Kamal Complex Main Road Bistupur
Jamshedpur- 831001

Phone: 9334489529, 9431542495

Jhansi (U.P.)
1 st floor, Navjeevan Complex,
Opp. Medical College Gate No.-1,
Jhansi (U.P.)

Phone: 9415031149

Jodhpur
Shop No. 8, Tallu Harnath Building, Jalori Gate,
Jodhpur- 342001

Phone: 9828243908/0291-5106290

Kanpur
106/248, Gandhi Nagar,
Near Jwala Devi Girls College Road
Kanpur- 208012
Phone:0512-3024400/ 09336114851

Karimnagar
Sai Srinivasa Hospital,
Dr. Bhagya Reddy Complex, Beside Civil Hospital, Savaran Street,
Karimnagar

Phone: 6501912
Kolhapur(Pune)Sangli
4A- Basement Arwattagi Zenith,
Opp Arwattgi Petrol Pump,
Miraj-Sangli Road Miraj
Kolhapur(Pune)Sangli- 416410

Phone: 0233-2212597

Kathmandu
Chabil Chowk,
Ward No-7 Next to Medicare Hospital Building
Kathmandu

Phone: 9802031233

Kolkata
8,Camac Street, Shantinikatan Building,
Room No. – 25,Ground Floor
Kolkata- 700 017

Phone: 09874245124 , 09874024124

Lucknow
19.B.N.Road.
Lucknow- 226001.

Phone: 05222626507,09235633880

Lucknow
18 / 2 Madan Mohan Malviya Marg,
Luknow- 226001

Phone: 9415103188 / 09235633880

Ludhiana
88 –A , Sarabha Nagar,
Ludhiana- 141001

Phone: 9953593950

Ludhiana
SCF – 20, Kichlu Nagar Market
Near Punjab & Sindh Bank
Ludhiana- 141001

Phone: 9814117150

Madurai
580, 2nd Main Road, Upstairs of MDDC Bank,
Anna Nagar,
Madurai -625020

Phone: 9962505535

Malleshpallya
126, karthik karunalaya appt Flat-c-1,
4th cross, 5th main, Bangalore
Malleshpallya- 75

Mehsana
II nd floor, Shiv Complex,
Outside Gopinala
Mehsana- 384002

Phone: 9904058053

Meerut Cantt
179- A Nagina Complex Abu Lane
Meerut- 250002

Mumbai
Ground Floor , Bhima Building,
Sirpochkanwala Road, Worli
Mumbai- 400030
Phone:   022-32649398/ 24910033 / 24920688

Moradabad
Court Road ,Opp.Zila Sahkari Bank,
Near Balaji Mandir
Moradabad- 244001

Phone: 09927045589 /0591-2325965

Mysore
No.90 A & B Block, Ramakrishna Nagar,
Mysore- 570023

Phone: 9901269702, 9980146737

Muzaffar Nagar
28/3, Gandhi Colony,
near Laxmi Narayan Mandir,
Muzaffar Nagar- 251001

Phone: 9837022999

Nagercoil
22 Mead Street, WCC Road
Nagercoil- 629001

Phone: 9952733626

Nagpur
Raise Collection Center, C-23, Ghatate Building,
Pancheel Square, Ramdasspeth
Nagpur- 440012

Phone: 9822721008–9225223767–0712-6595247

Noida
131, Mission Compound, Begum Bridge Road
NOIDA

Patiala
4005 / 1, Street Chanan Bogran,
Nr. Division No. 4,
Patiala- 147001

Phone: 9888457021

Pune
C -1 Office No-14, 2nd Floor,
Brahma Estate NIBM Junction,Above UTI ATM Centre,
Kondhwa Road
Pune- 411048

Phone: 09860755668

Patna
Opp.State Bank Of India,
Arya Kumar Road Rajendra Nagar
Patna- 800016

Phone: 9934318612 / 9334122294

Rajkot
704, Aalap – B, Limbda Chowk
Rajkot- 360001
Phone:  02812462304/ 9978901884

Rajmundry
74-13-3, Opp.Rajmundry Orthopedic Hospital,
Prakasam Nagar,
Rajmundry- 533103

Phone: 9703336777

Ranchi
Hassan M Usmani, Sattar Colony,
Near Sattar Colony Mosque,
Bariatu
Ranchi- 834009

Rohtak
Dinesh Medicos, Shop no. 3,
Medical More
Rohtak- 124001

Phone: 9215353444

Satara
LGF SHOP NO. 59, satara trade center shahu stadium
Satara

Phone: 9423262624

Secunderabad
1-1-58/7/3, Srinath complex
Opp. Taj mahal hotel
Secunderabad- 500003

Phone: 994909924

Srinagar
63, 1st Floor, Munir Manzil,Regal Chowk
Srinagar

Phone: 09469042505

Surat
2nd Floor,A-Tower,President Plaza,
Near R.T.O Office Naranpura,
Ring Road
Surat- 395001
Phone: 0261-2471515/ 0261-2471616

Thrissur
1st Floor, Lakshmi Complex,
Opp Metropolitian Hospital,
Kokkalai,
Thrissur- 680001

Phone: 9745611196

Trichy
37, Salai Road,
Paris Tower, Woraiyur,
Trichy -620003

Phone: 9962505536

Trivandrum
34 / 824, Opp. International Airport,
Behind Matha Tourist Home,
Trivandrum- 8

Phone: 9745611193

Udaipur
6, Abhay Niwas, Near Hanuman Temple Sardarpura,
Residency Road
Udaipur- 313001

Phone: 9251828387

Ujjain
Diagnostic-Aids,
3/1 Shaheed Park Freeganj
Ujjain- 456001

Phone: 9425773123

Varanasi
HO C/228, HabibPura ( Opp. Sales Tax Office ),
Chetganj
Varanasi- 221001

Phone: 9838555853 / 2410432

Vijaywada
Cryo Banks India, 24-28/1-38/22a,
Punnaiha Colony,Rokallapalem,
Vijaywada- 520003

Phone: 9985666683

Visakhapatnam
Supreme Music,
47-11-20/5A Dwarkanagar
Visakhapatnam- 16

Visit “Our Network” page for more information.

Are you expecting a baby? I am sure that the feeling itself is so lovely and fulfilling. You must be feeling excited but a bit nervous at times. Let me assure you that there is nothing to worry about it – major advancements have been made in the field of medical science and childbirth is today safer than ever! However, if it is your first time, you’ll continue to be anxious – I personally experienced this myself years back.

Negligence during pregnancy can lead to dangerous consequences and hence, it is very important for you to be cautious – there is a new life waiting to see the dawn of the day inside an anxious but happy mother – both need to be taken good care of.  Regular prenatal tests should be taken very seriously and appointments with gynecologist should never be skipped. To ensure the welfare of both the mother and child, the doctor shall advise of blood tests, urine tests, blood pressure monitoring and Ultrasounds and Colour Dopplers in each trimester. Any complications discovered can be treated with safe and mild drugs. Once again, trust your doctor, heed her advise and you’ll be fine. As I said earlier, doctors are extremely cautious and take no chances these days. In fact, conception is today a well planned affair with the doctors intervening to avoid or at least, minimize the chances of congenital diseases/birth defects and any other perils to the mother and the child.

Let’s now talk about the big R of Responsibility – parental responsibility – as a responsible parent; you have to do a lot of planning for your child’s future. Ensuring the child’s medical wellbeing is one of the foremost concerns and that is why all the vaccinations and preventive interventions are administered. Now, you can go one step further in this endeavor – by saving the cord blood of your baby. Do you know that this elixir, this miraculously potent blood is thrown away as medical waste when the baby is born? It is the blood that is there in the umbilical cord and can be safely extracted and preserved for the entire family’s future use.

Surprised! It’s true, at the time of birth, the cord blood is returned to the neonatal circulation if the umbilical cord is not prematurely clamped. The cord blood is a valuable source of the stem cells. This cord blood is genetically unique to your child. Stem cells can also be called as the master cells of the human body.  The stem cells found in the cord blood are the building blocks of your body and help in building tissues, organs, and the immune system. At the time of child birth, the cord blood can be preserved without causing any complications or pain to the mother or the child. Thanks to advanced cryogenic preservation techniques, the cord blood, rich in stem cells, can be preserved for decades as a bio-insurance against as many as 75 dreaded ailments including brain tumors, Small-Cell lung cancer, brain injuries and heart diseases.

Doctors are recommending cord blood banking to expecting parents. Many organizations have started stem cells & cord blood banking services for the people who want to donate it as well for the people who want to store it for the future utilization. However, not all the firms are well equipped to provide stem cells & cord blood banking service, and it is better to opt for established, globally experienced organizations like Cryobanks, which have started their operations in India. Cryobanks India offers you the assurance of facilities that are state-of-the-art and services that are reliable. One can choose from the most suitable payment plans and hence, avail this bio-insurance for the child in the most affordable way.

These stem cells cord blood banking services have not only benefited new parents in securing the lives of their children but also have provided others hope of a better future – bone marrow transplant requires the exact match of cells that can be rarely found. By opting for cord blood banking, you can not only secure your family against dreaded diseases, you can also help many others in need by donating the stem cells or banking the cord blood in public cord blood banks.

The birth of a child in the family is a joyous event. You can make sure this joy is spread far and wide by choosing to preserve the umbilical cord blood of the baby. Earlier when the baby was born, the umbilical cord blood was treated as a waste. Today you can get it collected by a public cord blood bank where it can be used to help others – cord blood is rich in stem cells which are useful in the treatment of as many as 75 life threatening diseases. Donating the umbilical cord blood is a very simple decision whereas it can make a world of difference to those receiving it. Just to remove some misconceptions, the labor and delivery is not affected in any way when the umbilical cord blood is collected during the time of birth.

The events in which a doctor may choose to go for cord blood transplant, depend on whether the doctor favors the transplant cells to come from the patient himself or from the donor. The doctors also decide which stem cells source is best suited to the patient, cord blood, peripheral blood or bone marrow.

The donated cord is especially useful for those patients who need a transplant quickly, because the stored cord blood is ready to use. Also, those patients who find it difficult to find a suitable bone marrow donor can also use the cord blood because cord blood need not match the patient’s tissue type that closely. Even those patients with ethnically diverse backgrounds may also use the cord blood cells.

At the same time, donating the cord blood cells for public use or preserving it for family’s medical well-being is entirely your personal decision in the end –  you can make an informed decision by talking to your doctor about it. Many a times the cord blood sample is not used for a transplant as there are too few stem cells in the cord blood. In that case, the cord blood is used for the research purposes so that the future treatment techniques may be perfected by the doctors.

Cryobanks is a leading umbilical cord blood preservation company which offers private cord blood storage program to the expecting families. Cryobanks is a pioneer in the field of cord blood stem cell storage and processing and it remains committed to serving families requiring the same for family or private use. The company intends to be the largest inventory of cord blood stem cells in India.

Umbilical cord blood, rich in stem cells, may provide raw material to repair the hearts of thousands of babies born each year with defective heart valves, according to researchers.

Heart valve abnormalities are one of the most common kinds of inherited heart defects. In these babies, the valves are too narrow or don’t close as they should, keeping blood from flowing properly. While surgeons can transplant new valves from human or animal donors, or from artificial material, these valves won’t grow as children do, forcing kids to undergo repeated operations to outfit them with new, larger valves.

The next step is to test the procedure by implanting heart valves made in this way into the hearts of young lambs, then watching to see how they grow and function over time.

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood, like adult stem cells found in the mature tissues of developed humans, have the potential to form many kinds of cells that can repair or replace damage to organs of the body. Since the umbilical cord stem cells aren’t derived from human embryos, they don’t raise ethical objections.

Stem cells from human embryos are more versatile, however, since they are able to form any of the roughly 210 cell types found in the body.

The day your baby is born, your whole world starts revolving around them. There are surprises galore whether these are their first smiles, or when they start moving around or start running for you when it’s getting darker. Next in the line might be the first birth day party, sports events or even simply holidays. Although they are still toddlers, you start planning their careers, and start sharing your visions of their future. You may have noticed, that we have not talked about the possibility that they may fall seriously one day. May be you occasionally think of it, but wish that it doesn’t happen.

There are Proactive parents around

But you may be surprised to know there are more conscious parents around, and that you could have done better. They are mostly like you, but they make a choice the day their baby is born. They decide to preserve their baby’s cord blood in a stem cells bank.

Some Basics about Cord Blood Banking

Now comes the obvious question. What exactly is cord blood banking? Is it going to be the right choice for you or the baby. Let’s start by getting to know what’s there in the umbilical cord of the baby which is cut after the birth of the baby. The blood in it is pretty rich in stem cells; and these newborn stem cells are unique to the baby and the family he or she belongs to and these can only be collected right at the time of the baby’s birth. The collection part has to be decided ahead of the baby’s birth using the special kit provided by the stem cells bank contacted by you.  In case of cesarean delivery, however, the blood collected is less in amount and that makes a huge difference because during the treatment stage, the amount of stem cells available matters. Obviously, the more there are these stem cells, the better.

A New Kind of Life Insurance

Next is the stage when the blood collected is sent to the stem cells bank.  There, the stem cells are separated from the rest of the blood cells, and are frozen in liquid nitrogen. Now whenever you require these stem cells, you can use these by thawing. In theory, the stem cells should last forever but so far, stem cells stored for about a decade have been used successfully in transplants.

Get These Questions Answered

In the end, before you get all excited about storing the stem cells in a cord blood bank, here are a few questions you should ask yourself about your stem cells bank:

1. What is the financial condition of your stem cells bank?
2. What is the amount of processing work going on in the facility and if it is sustainable?
3. Do you have the flexibility to choose another facility at a later stage?
4. What happens to your baby’s stem cells if the business shuts down?

You very well know what should be the answer to these queries.