Donating your child's cord blood or storing it for private use is a personal decision that only you can make. If you have a child with leukemia or other disease that may be treatable by transplant and you are pregnant, talk with your oncologist or pediatrician about saving your baby's cord blood. Families may feel a great deal of pressure from the promotions and advertisements they receive from the for-profit private storage cord blood banks.

Because the blood is not washed to just stem cells, the blood is handled less, and therefore, more viable. The processing is the same as for bone marrow, using the same cryopreservative. If a transfusion were to take place, it would be a whole blood to whole blood transfusion. Top See similar questions...

Blood volume or plasma is replaced within 24 hours. Red cells need about 4 to 8 weeks for complete replacement. See similar questions...

Trace amounts of nicotine can be detected in blood and urine for several hours, but they should be gone by 48 hours. However, if you are being tested for nicotine, there is a metabolite of nicotine, called cotinine, which can be detected in blood or urine for as long as 7 to 10 days after your last exposure to nicotine. See similar questions...

Plan to spend an hour for the entire blood donation process, which includes some paper work and a mini physical. The actual blood collection of blood takes just 5 to 8 minutes. After donating, you will rest, enjoy refreshments and experience the satisfaction of knowing that you just saved up to three lives. It will be the best hour of your day. Comfort levels vary from person to person but many donors say there is nothing to it. You will feel a slight pinch and it is all over before you know it! See similar questions...

Blood donations are available for use within 48 hours after being processed into three components (red blood cells, platelets and plasma) and tested. See similar questions...

In a number of carefully controlled clinical studies, ChoLESStolife® has been shown to lower LDL-cholesterol by 14%. This reduction can be achieved after only two weeks of administration. See similar questions...

Studies have shown good cord blood cell recovery after up to ten years of storage. Studies are ongoing to determine the storage life of cord blood units. See similar questions...

It will require one to two weeks for Dr. Whelan to process, treat and test your blood cells. After that time, your blood will be discarded. See similar questions...

Your transplant team will work with the NMDP to conduct a worldwide search to find you the best available donor or cord blood unit. This can take as little as 2 weeks to as long as 2 months or more. Cord blood units are stored and ready to use, so if you need a transplant quickly, your doctor may consider using cord blood. Sometimes no suitable match can be found. If that happens, your doctor will look at other treatment options. See similar questions...

Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells, the building blocks to all other cells in the blood and immune system. These valuable cells can now be cryogenically preserved as a form of "biological insurance." Top See similar questions...

Donating cord blood for public use or storing it for your family's private use is a personal decision. You can find detailed information in these FAQs that can help you make an informed decision. See similar questions...

Blood has a limited shelf life. The different components of blood can last from 5 days to a year or more. Red blood cells may be stored under refrigeration for a maximum of 42 days. Frozen red blood cells can last up to 10 years, but because of the high cost involved, only a small portion of the blood supply can be frozen. See similar questions...

A unit of blood with no preservatives can be kept refrigerated for 35 days. With the addition of an anti-clotting agent, shelf life can be extended to 42 days. Platelets can only be stored for 5 days. Other components such as fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate can be frozen for use up to one year. See similar questions...

A group of tests that are important for diagnosing lupus will be performed. The results of these tests (serology) will be sent to you if you choose to receive them. The DNA in your blood will be analyzed to determine which genes may be involved in lupus and to address other scientific questions about lupus as they arise. A permanent cell line will be established and this cell line may be used for other approved lupus research at a later time. See similar questions...

You can give blood every 56 days (8 weeks). Every time you donate, you will have to meet the same criteria as you did before, and pass the medical examination. See similar questions...

France, 1988 - A team of doctors, including Dr. Eliane Gluckman, a member of the Cryobanks International S.A.M.B.A. performed the world's first successful human cord blood transplant into a child with Fanconi's Anemia. In 1991, a transplant was successfully performed on a child with chronic myelogenous leukemia. These initial accomplishments opened doors to use cord blood for situations where traditional bone marrow was routinely utilized. See similar questions...

It usually takes about 45 minutes for screening, donating a unit, and a short rest period after you are finished. The actual donation itself takes about 15 minutes. See similar questions...

The first transplanted cord blood occurred in 1988. Because cord blood research is so new, further studies are ongoing. It is believed that because stem cells have much the same properties as sperm cells, their viability would be similar: greater than fifty years. Top See similar questions...

Research has shown that BYETTA starts working as soon as the very first dose. So you can see better control of your blood glucose levels on the first day. As you continue to take BYETTA, you should see overall improvements in your A1C (a 3-month average of your blood glucose levels). See similar questions...