Power of the Placenta | Placenta Banking
Thousands of expectant parents across the country often research what to do with their baby’s umbilical cord after birth – whether to donate it, discard it as medical waste, or privately bank it in a process known as cord blood banking. But what about the placenta?
Just as the umbilical cord is a valuable source of stem cells – should we also consider the placenta to be worth saving? The answer is 100% yes.
When it comes to banking stem cells, the option of placenta banking is much less known in comparison to cord blood banking. You may be wondering at this point “but what exactly is placenta banking and why should I do it?”.
Before diving into the possibilities of placenta banking, it’s first important to know what the placenta does during pregnancy.
The role of the placenta
Throughout pregnancy the placenta is one of the key organs that fosters your baby’s growth and development. The placenta serves as the connector between you and your baby, providing it with oxygen and all of the essential nutrients it needs to survive. It also removes any toxins and waste products that may be harmful to your baby.
The placenta also produces a number of hormones that are needed during pregnancy, including oestrogen, progesterone and lactogen. Hormones such as progesterone help to maintain pregnancy by supporting the lining of the womb, providing the environment for the baby and the placenta to grow. Oestrogen helps to stimulate growth of the uterus to accommodate the growth of your baby.
Many people believe that what once served as the lifeline between you and your baby becomes redundant once baby is born – but this is certainly not the case. Placenta banking enables parents to continue to protect their baby’s long-term health and may also protect the rest of the family.
What is placenta banking?
The placenta is comprised of two key parts: the outer layer which is referred to as the chorion, and the inner layer, also known as the amnion or amniotic membrane. Placenta banking enables you to collect cells from the amnion and chorion after birth and store them for future use.
Both the amniotic membrane and the chorionic villi contain powerful regenerative properties which are currently being used in clinical trials across the world to push the boundaries of conventional medicine.
In fact, the amniotic membrane has been used since the early 20th century to treat burns, wounds, ulcers and eye conditions. That’s over 100 years of life-changing treatments! That’s because it contains a unique combination of growth factors and anti-inflammatory properties which help to repair damaged or diseased cells within the body. The amniotic membrane is also being used in hundreds of clinical trials to discover more ways it can be used to treat other conditions, including heart disease, brain injury and even 3D print entire body parts!
And this amazing medical potential doesn’t stop here. The chorionic villi of your placenta are also rich in powerful placental cells. Scientists are continuing to uncover an ever-growing list of treatments in clinical trials for conditions such as osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, Crohn’s disease and many more.
The benefits of placenta banking
Aside from the already proven therapies and the regenerative potential of future treatments, choosing to store cells from your placenta has many other benefits not just for your baby – but for your entire family. What many people don’t know about the placenta is that the amniotic membrane is non-immunogenic. That means that it can be used to treat unmatched patients. In other words, it can be used on any member of the family.
Also, by choosing to bank your baby’s cord blood alongside the placenta, you can maximise the number and types of cells you have access to. Essentially, the more cells you have, the more treatment opportunities will be possible, not just now but for the rest of your family’s life.
Placenta stem cell storage
Whilst there are a number of private cord blood banks available in the UK, only one offers you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bank your placenta. Cells4Life is the UK’s only placenta stem cell storage bank, allowing you to store both the amnion and the chorion to safeguard your family’s long-term health. Established in 2002, Cells4Life is the leading stem cell bank in the UK having stored samples for over 150,000 customers in more than 50 countries. To find out more about your placenta banking options, simply download your free guide here or visit cells4life.com
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