What does it mean to preserve umbilical cord blood?

Umbilical cord blood preservation refers to the process of collecting the blood remaining in the umbilical cord after a baby is born and the cord has been clamped and separated. This blood is then specially processed and stored at -196°C to preserve the hematopoietic stem cells it contains. These hematopoietic stem cells have the ability to differentiate into various types of adult stem cells, making them a valuable medical resource. The primary significance of preserving umbilical cord blood lies in its hematopoietic stem cells, which can be used to treat blood-related diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, and anemia, offering high survival rates and relatively low risks of rejection. There are generally two methods of preserving umbilical cord blood: one is storing it in a public cord blood bank for potential use by the family or others; the other is storing it in a private cord blood bank for potential use by the individual or their immediate family members. The cost of preserving umbilical cord blood is relatively high, including fees for collection, testing, and storage, with the total cost varying depending on the storage duration.