What is Cord Tissue Banking?

Cord tissue banking is the process of collecting and storing sections of your baby’s umbilical cord after birth; freezing the stem cells within for potential future use in medical treatments for your child.

Cord tissue is known to be a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). They are known to repair and regenerate damaged tissue cells in bone, cartilage, muscle and fat cells, and are being studied to treat illnesses such as cerebral palsy, arthritis and type 1 diabetes in over 1,000 clinical trials.^[1]

These valuable MSCs in umbilical cord tissue can be collected at any point of delayed cord clamping, and the stem cells preserved in case they are ever needed.

Future Health keeps up with the latest stem cell research and is at the forefront of cord tissue stem cell storage. We take stringent measures to ensure that if ever needed, your child receives a fit-for-purpose sample. Immediately after a cord tissue sample is collected, it is transported via our 24/7 courier service to our UK laboratory and processed, before carrying out a viability test.

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How does it work?

The science behind cord tissue banking is complicated, but storing your baby’s stem cells really couldn’t be simpler. Here’s how it works;

We send you your collection kit well before the birth date, which contains everything you need to collect the sample (make sure you take it with you to the hospital on the big day!).

Cord blood samples in tubes with collection kit

After birth, your consultant (or a phlebotomist provided by us) will take a tissue sample and place it back in the collection kit.

Our medical courier then collects the kit from your hospital or home, delivering it to our laboratory in Nottingham.

Once arrived we:

Process the sample by sectioning the tissue sample into multiple portions

Your baby’s sample is then cryogenically frozen in the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen, and stored in our facilities for decades to come

The sample is checked and confirmed as healthy and viable for future use

Should you ever need to use your sample, we will release your sample and ship it anywhere in the world, free of charge

The difference between cord tissue and cord blood stem cells
MSCs are found in the Wharton’s jelly surrounding the umbilical cord blood vessels. They are able to differentiate and repair tissue cells to treat serious injuries and conditions affecting bone, muscles and more. HSCs found in cord blood are more likely to be used for blood disorders, to treat forms of cancer and other blood/immunodeficiency conditions.
As part of our Premium package, you can collect and store your baby’s cord tissue and cord blood stem cells combined.

Reference: [1] https://stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13287-019-1376-9#Abs1

What's in the kit

Our temperature controlled kits contain the best equipment possible.

Although each component has it’s own unique contribution, when combined the kit has one purpose, to deliver your sample to our lab in quality condition.

Preservation tablet

Used to stop microbial contaminants from growing.

50ml shipping tube & saline sachet

Saline goes into the shipping tube and cord tissue is put into this for transit.

Why choose Future Health?

Once you’ve decided that cord blood banking is for you, you then need to decide which biobank you’re going to trust with your baby’s sample. Here’s why we think you should choose us;

One of the world's most accredited stem cell banks