Everything you and your doctor need for a successful collection is provided in your Viacord kit. We’ve got a few tips to share to ensure the process goes smoothly.

1. LET THE STAFF KNOW UPON ARRIVAL
Letting the medical staff  know you’ve chosen to collect your baby’s cord blood or cord tissue, or both is an important first step in the cord blood collection process. Even if it’s noted in your files, telling the staff at the hospital of exactly what you’ve ordered will ensure everyone’s in the know. And if medical staff shift rotation takes place during your time in labor, inform the replacement staff as well. Keeping everyone in the know is the way to go!

2.   COLLECT EVEN WITH A C-SECTION
When moms go in for a c-section, whether it’s planned or unplanned, sometimes the collection kit gets left behind. Make sure it’s known that you want to collect your cord blood or cord tissue or both – whichever you ordered, so the medical staff will  make sure  the kit is in the c-section room. ViaCord’s sterile collection bag is FDA approved and can be used in c-sections..

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The different types of stem cells contained within cord blood are currently used to treat nearly 80 diseases. Scientists hope that with more research, this list will continue to grow. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are drawn from umbilical cord tissue, may be one key in the efforts to treat more diseases and disorders.

MSCs provide new hope to patients with debilitating diseases
Patients with liver fibrosis, lung cancer, Parkinson’s and other complex diseases have limited treatment options today, so opening new avenues for treatment is important. The unique ability MSCs have to repair damaged cartilage, muscle and tissue suggests their potential in medical applications. As a result, a significant amount of research is underway to better understand this potential. Below are findings from some of the pre-clinical studies using MSCs extracted from cord tissue:
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Early diagnostics reduce healthcare costs; improve quality of life

Recently, PerkinElmer CEO Robert Friel was interviewed on FOX Business News to discuss the state of the nation’s healthcare—and how the global life sciences company is doing its part to ensure a healthier future for all. The parent company of ViaCord, PerkinElmer designs and delivers advanced technology solutions that address the world’s most critical health and safety concerns. For example, PerkinElmer is the leading worldwide provider of neonatal screening systems that have helped identify more than 100,000 newborns at risk of inherited metabolic disorders.

In the FOX interview, Mr. Friel stressed the importance of early diagnostics in keeping health care costs down and improving quality of life. For instance, by opting into newborn screening programs for early detection of health threats, parents may be able to help their child receive therapeutic intervention earlier, leading to a more successful outcome. There is often a positive financial outcome as well—early awareness and intervention can help families avoid costly procedures further down the line and improve quality of life, which also reduces costs for employers, insurers and healthcare institutions.

In the United States, while there is much debate about healthcare reform, we can all agree on one thing: everyone benefits from controlling the costs of healthcare while creating more successful outcomes. For ViaCord and PerkinElmer, we believe in providing healthcare options for the better—options that can help families be better informed, better aware, and better protected.

• Watch Mr. Friel’s interview
• Learn more about PerkinElmer
  
• And weigh in: do you have a first-hand experience with early diagnostics improving quality of life for someone you love?