Collection and cryopreservation of cord blood for the treatment of hematopoietic disorders: the obstetrician's overview.

Bone marrow transplantation provides successful treatment for many diseases of the immune and hematopoietic systems. The main therapeutic ingredient in this procedure is stem cells collected from the bone marrow. Recently, it has been demonstrated that stem cells from human umbilical cord blood can serve as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation in children. Although cord blood transplantation in adults has not yet been attempted, it appears that there are enough stem cells present in cord blood for successful engraftment in adults. Obstetric health care providers should be aware that many familial conditions are treatable by cord blood stem cell transplantation in children. Obstetric health care providers caring for patients with familial disorders should consider counseling such patients regarding the collection and storage of cord blood for potential future uses in autologous or allogeneic transplantation.