Umbilical Cord Blood Bank

Where can I find out about donating cord blood? My husband and I were discussing cord blood banking and came across the idea of donating the blood for use where it is already needed instead of keeping it for personal use that might never be needed. Does anyone know where we can find info on this? Has anyone else done this?

Question about donating cord blood. What happens if we donate it? Do we then have preference if needed? We can afford to save it if we need to, but we would rather spend the money on private school, etc... So has anyone donated cord blood? Tell me about that versus privately storing it.

Can I earn money by donating umbilical cord blood? I've been receiving the information about "cord blood bank" and such. I also heard you can donate the cord blood as well. I am curious if I can earn some money by donating this cord blood.

Have you thought about donating the cord blood after your baby was born? My brother in law passed away this past week. He was a kidney transplant recipient. I am currently 19 weeks pregnant and I have never stopped to think about donating the cord blood, that is, until his death and my sisters desire to have any donations go to the "Gift of Life." Do you think it is a good idea?

Is a husband able to cut the umbilical cord if we're donating the cord blood? I'm wondering if the routine changes when cutting the cord. We want to donate the cord blood, but my husband would like to cut the cord when the baby's born. Will he still be able to do that or will the doctor have to do it for donation purposes? In response to Vegan-We're actually donating to a public bank, b/c we can donate for free. Most studies show that if baby has a problem, they can't have their own cells back anyway, so we figured someone might as well have a chance to use it. Otherwise, it's just garbage.

when donating cord blood does the father still get to cut the cord? this is our first child and I want him to cut it so I will not donate if he cannot doula will you please answer my other ? as well

Donating cord blood? My husband & I are interested in donating, not banking, our baby's cord blood when he is born. Does anyone know of a reputable organization that does this in the NJ/PA area?

Cord blood banking and donating? Since I have gotten pregnant, I have seen ads and ads for cord blood banking. Of course, like many starting families, my husband and I just don't have the money to bank it ourselves. Besides, both of us have come from pretty healthy families and would probably not have a use for the cord blood. But if it is not banked, it gets thrown away? I asked my doctor about donating cord blood and she had no information about it at all! She had plenty of information about banking, though. Sure, I've done my research on the internet and found a company that accepts cord blood donations, but I guess I waited too long to find it since they want me registered by my 34th week and I'm on my 33rd week. Not to mention I'm in Minnesota and the closest location is in either Missouri or Illinois. So now I know it IS possible to donate.. that isn't my question.. My question is.. Why is it that we hear so much about expenive Cord Blood Banking and the miracles of cord blood through paying hundreds of dollars to store it for your family, but nobody ever mentions the option of donating and hardly anyone has any information about it? If it works so many miracles, why is it that most of the time, the cord blood gets thrown away? It seems like such a waste!!

Has anyone heard of this type of cord blood donation? My hospital gives me the option of donating cord blood. This is apparently different from cord blood banking since the cord blood can be used by anyone and it is free. I had my daughter's cord blood donated at her birth (thought, why not?) And am planning to donate my son's cord blood at his birth. Does anyone know how long the cord blood would be stored and if there is a chance your own child can use it?

Is there any other way to register for donating your umbilical cord blood other than the 1-800 number? I've gotten a ton of papers for umbilical cord donation and I've already signed papers with my hospital for it. I was just wondering if anyone else has registered through a website or something other than the 1-800 number you have to call in order to make sure you're eligible. Sorry for the confusion but I'm talking about cord blood donation, not banking.

How do you donate cord blood? Ok, since I just asked a question about this... :-) I had no idea how expensive it was! How do I go about donating my baby's cord blood? Is that something that's fairly routine at the hospital, or do I need to contact someone in advance? Thank you all so much! You're great. :-) I'm pretty sure there's no way we can afford that... but if I can donate it to help someone else, that'd be great.

donating cord blood for free? I was watchin dr oz and I heard that most people don't know that if they can't afford to store their cord blood that it can be donated for free. How true is this and how would one go about it? How much access do I really have to it being that its open to the public now

do you get charged to donate cord blood? some peoplehave mentioned donating cord blood and i didn't know this was an option and now would like to consider doing this in the future, if you donated your babys cord blood did ou get charged anything for it? I am assuming no and whoever uses it in the future will pay for it.... correct?

Donating my babies Cord Blood? I looked into saving my daughters cord blood, but it is a lot of money and who know if she will ever use it. But is there the possibility to donate her cord blood? Could it help an other sick baby/child or adult? Do I need to talk to my hospital or what do I have to do?

Is keeping the cord blood worth it, or is donating it better? I have heard mixed opinions about this, and I don't know if we are going to keep ours or donate it so that later in life we can receive cord blood if need be. What's your take on this issue?

Donate cord blood or bank it? I suppose one would rather keep it incase their own child needs it in the future seeing as it's an exact match...... but the possibility of them needing it is low, and if you were to donate it and other people were donating it, then does that mean there would most likely be cord blood available from other people's donations if your kids need it in the future? What do you reckon? Has anyone banked or donated the cord blood? How much does it cost to bank it?

cord blood donating...................? i want to donate my babys cord blood, im in Scotland and need some advice on who to contact regarding in Can anyone help me?

How do I donate cord blood to veterans? I'm pregnant and need to know how to go about doing this. I've learned all about storing it for ourselves...so you don't have to explain that stuff. I suppose all I need is a web site or 800 number where I can jump off from. I'm 20 weeks pregnant and my husband and brother are both veterans if that helps at all. Thanks!

Cord Blood: What are the 'cons' of Cord Blood? I am researching this topic & have not found much information about the cons of the use or storing/ donating cord blood. Are there any other controversies other than the Cord Blood bank & people who are selling it?

Cord Blood Donation Question? Are there any agencies that allow you to donate cord blood to a specific person? I know you can donate blood to a specific person for free, in the case of a surgery or something that you know may require blood. Cord Blood banking is so expensive, but if its DONATED to a person who may need it, are there any ways to get a break on cost? Please only answer this question if you have experience with this or a good resource. I already looked at a bunch of websites and none say anything about donating to an individual person. Thanks to all.

So after watching my sisters keeper i really want to donate my babys cord blood, is this possible? So i'm 36 weeks 4 days pregnant and when i give birth i'd like to donate my baby's cord blood. I initially wanted to keep it and bank it in case my child were to ever get sick, but i cannot afford it, so i thought about donating it so it doesn't go to waste. Are you allowed to even do this? If so has anyone else done this? And how do i go about doing this, just tell my doctor?

What r our options for Cord Blood Banking if my hubby and I decide Not to bank it?Can we donate it n where to? I just want to know if anyone knows the different places we can donate our cord blood? We cannot afford to pay the fees ourselves and I did hear someone on here say how she donated hers to the local K-9 Unit.. anyone know where else we can donate it to rather then telling the hospital to just get rid of it?

Cord Blood storing vs. Donating in British Columbia? Week 37 of pregnancy. Pros and Cons? I am expecting a baby in 20 days and would like to know if I should donate the umbilical cord blood or store it for our family members (we can afford it, but are big believers of donating to those who need it and in return being helped when we need it). There is still enough time to get it set up with a local (Vancouver, BC) private blood bank. I am also wondering if it's not too late to donate it to a public bank (not sure where the closest one is).

What are cord blood cells, and do they have the same potential medicinal benefits as embryonic stem cells? Explain this statement: If more people would donate the cord blood then we wouldn't have to use the embryonic cells. What does this mean, and if it's true, why don't women do it? Is there any harm involved?

Do you think banking cord blood are a wast of money? Don't people donate their cord blood to leukemia patients anyways? So why should we spend money to store your own cord blood My point is that if your child is sick, they can just get someoneelse's cord blood from donation.

Am i too far along to donate cord blood? i want to donate my baby's cord blood, my hospital doesn't do it, i called the all the cord blood banking places...idk what to do, im 39 weeks pregnant and i really want to donate the cord blood.. idk what to do??

donating baby's cord blood? I am due in a little over 2 months, i cant afford to keep it stored for my baby or family so i was thinking about donating it, but if i donate and ever need it in the future would i still be able to get use out of cord blood and how would i get a hold of a banking place, are there any ideas of how this would work or what to do if i would ever need it? also do you know if any banks would pay you to donate....its just a thought?

HOW DO I DONATE CORD BLOOD??!!? i am almost 18 weeks pregnant and i am trying to figure out everything for the baby. i want to donate cord blood,,but i have no idea how to do that.. do i just tell my doctor? and what does cord blood do for people?? i know i should know more about it if im thinking about donating.. i just want to make my baby help others too,by donating anything i can... thanks for the help :],,,no rude comments because i just dont really care,,i couldnt be happier:]

Can you donate cord blood? I've heard of banking umbilical cord blood after your baby is born, but can you donate it? If so does anybody know a website I could find about doing it. My husband and I are interested in doing this if we can.

How do you donate your cord blood after the baby is born? and does it cost me anything I thought i would donate it because they dont do anything except throw it away

How do I donate to a public cord blood bank? I am due in about 4 weeks, and have been interested in Cord Blood Banking for research developement purposes. All of the private banks cost to much (insurance will not cover it) and most of the time it is held for your personal use, not to be used for research or to help others in need. I want to donate my baby's cord blood to a public bank (which is free and gets used to help others in need and/or for research). I have come up against a brick wall when trying to find a way to donate as there are no public banks in my area. Does anyone know of a way to donate to a public bank if it is out of your area? If you know of any that are in the central valley of California that would be helpful as well.

I need to know who to talk to about donating my baby's cord blood to after it is born? I heard about this at my doctors office and would like to know how and where to donate before it is to late I'm 21 weeks now from what I read I have until 32 weeks to fined some one then it's to late please help us thank you

Would you donate your babies cord blood? It's been debated upon by many parents. Would you donate your babies cord blood (for non-parents this is donated after birth)? Support your answer.

Cord blood donation what is your thought? Im 13 weeks pregnant and seriously thinking of donating my babies cord blood, when the time comes. Has any of you done it? What do you think about it? Would you do it?

Is there free cord blood banking?... Like.. to help other people if they need the cord blood? I want to donate cord blood but not for myself and i didnt know if it was free. Has anybody done this through a reliable company that i can trust giving my personal information? Thank you. :)

Did any of you mom's save or donate your cord blood? How much did it cost to "family/private bank" the cord blood?? And also what would I need to do if I wanted to donate it? Do I have to send away for a kit or something? Can I just tell them at the hospital that I want to donate it.........any info you can give me would help. Please don't cut and paste from the internet ......i just want your personal opinions and knowledge....you know....from real people. thanks moms!

Donate Cord Blood deal? Has anyone ever donated this? Are there any bad effects I like to know information of someone who has done this! blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta is rich with blood-forming cells. These healthy blood-forming cells can be collected and stored so they can be used by a patient who needs a transplant!!

Question about cord blood donation? I'm 32 weeks pregnant. Is it too late to inquire and register to donate cord blood? I heard you have to do it early but I don't remember how early it had to be done.

Does anyone know if you donate cord blood, can the father still cut the cord?

Does it cost money to donate cord blood?

Can you donate cord blood to a public bank that is currently privately stored? I'm am looking to privately store the cord blood from my child. I understand that the likelihood of actually utilizing this cord blood is small. I also have evaluated the cost of private storage. My one hesitation, however, is that by privately storing, and possibly never using this cord blood, I am potentially denying it's use by someone who might have used it (via public storage). So my question is, can I at some point in the future 'transfer' or donate my privately stored cord blood to a public cord blood bank? I am not speaking about storing the cord blood myself at home. What I mean by 'private storage' is storing the blood at a private for-profit bank for my exclusive use. Sorry for not making that more clear.

Do obstetricians routinely encourage mothers to donate umbilical cord blood to help save leukemia patients? I read an article that mentioned that teammates of a leukemia patient called obstetricians to encourage them to get mothers to donate umbilical cord blood because the stem cells have a lower rejection rate than bone marrow. This brought up a question for me: Do obstetricians who work at hospitals that donate to cord blood banks NOT already routinely ask their patients if they want to donate cord blood? It seemed from a website that I went to that expectant mothers have to request cord blood collecting kits at least 4 weeks before delivery themselves. Are they being actively made aware of this option by their doctors or is it something that they have to find out about and request on their own? There's absolutely no cost to the mothers who donate cord blood whatsoever because the cord blood banks pay for it and it could help save lives so I'm curious.

Will you donate your baby's cord blood? Has anyone told you it is important? Have you investigate donating? Seven years ago today a baby we don't know was born to a mother we had never met in a city we have no clue about. For reasons unknown to us that mother told the doctors to save her baby's umbilical cord blood and put it in the national bank. According to the label on the stem cells my daughter received, the were donated on January 15, 2001 (which would be the donor's birthday). On May 18, 2007 my then 19 month old daughter's life was saved by that donation. Those cells were used to transplant her bone marrow to help fight a disease that would have taken her from us. First mentally, then physically by age 10. Donations are still needed. Some people still can't find perfect matches like my daughter had. Perfect matches and even close matches for minorities are rare also... Please ask your OB/GYN how you can donate. Be prepared- those that don't understand the importance may wave you off... but it is important. Be persistant if you are willing to give this wonderful gift. I understand the costs being prohibitive for some... but I dont think that people realize (in SOME places) you can donate your child's cord blood to the public cord blood bank for free. It may or may not be there if you or your child needs it in the future, but it would be there for somebody who needed it. Thanks for giving me an oppourtunity to share this with you all. I forgot to leave my daughter's website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laurenslife/

Cord blood donation suggestions? I'm pregnant and considering donating my cord blood when my child is born. Does anybody know of any trustable non-for-profit organizations that they would recommend? I live in Canada. Any suggestions? more specifically: I'm in Ontario, Canada.

Where can I donate cord blood?

Has anyone donated cord blood? I tried to do this with my first pregnancy 4 years ago and I couldn't find any resources to do it. My doctor told me it couldn't be done. I am pregnant again and I have read on here that people have chosen to donate. I wonder if they actually have. I want to but I can't figure out how. So have you done it? How?

So what's the deal about the cord blood? All I know is what I've read from advertisements, so really I just want to get some opinions from actual people. Do you think it's important to keep the cord blood? They are saying it's the 'medicine of the future'. When I first read it I thought they wanted me to donate the cord blood, either for research or so that any baby who needs it can use it. I was a little disappointed when I realized they just wanted to charge me to hold it. Are there organizations that I can donate to?

is there a way to be able to store my unborn baby's cord blood for free? We are really interested in cord blood banking only we cannot realistically afford the cost of it. So I was wondering if there was a way I could get free cord blood banking by donating half of the cord blood to stem cell research or something. I live in canada. Does anyone have any ideas for me? My baby is due in June

donating the baby's cord blood? i cant afford to bank it so how do i donate it? just tell the doctor thats what i want to do or do i have to pay a small fee? thats so cool they called you to let you know it was helpful!

Why kill Mini Me when you can use umbilical cord blood, rich in stem cells, as artificial aint worked, right?? Nature's Miracle Substance: Umbilical Cord Blood Aimee Herd - John Mckenzie, Lenny Bourin – ABC News - (Jul 12, 2008) It does not involve the killing of human embryos, and it has been used to treat over 60 diseases, including Leukemia, Sickle Cell Anemia and blood cancers. Umbilical cord blood contains wonder-working stem cells. But all too often this "miracle substance" is simply disposed of. According to Dr. Elizabeth Shpall, head of the M.D. Anderson Cord Blood Bank, it is still a "vast majority" of women who do not realize what they are allowing to be thrown away when they don't allocate their newborn's umbilical cord blood to be donated. Yet, this wonderfully stem-cell-rich substance has been used to successfully treat so many diseases Many pregnant women are simply not aware of the medical value and the opportunity for treatments that can come from donating the cord blood when their baby is born. The fact is, umbilical cord blood is the perfect supply of stem cells OK? Cabbage Atheist brainwashing has produced generations of mad scientists who prostitute their skills to the highest bidder - callously churning out bigger & worse nukes & biochem weapons designed not for a 'clean kill', but to torture & mutillate In the WorldWideWeb, the driving forces are the 'industries' of gambling & porno: scientists devote their lives to inventing brainwashing techniques to enslave people Real questions here? How many scientist seriously believe that they are wiser than God & can deceive Him & oppress the weak with impunity? Anyone out there starting to realise that the whole world together is neither smart enough to fool the Almighty Creator, norstrong enough - even with all da WMDs - to defeat Him? Anyone beginning to learn that the acid test that proves said hypothesis is Armageddon - as @ Joel 3, Zechariah 14 & Revelation 16-19? http://BibleGateway.com Yes, those are REAL questions!! Yes, I wanna make y'all think!!! & ya answers???? Nap Do I see a strange glow reflected on ya face? Oh, behave! Wonder how many are truly awesome academics today - like foremost Oxbridge dons, those great pals CS Lewis & JRR Tolkien - whose wonderful works, (the Narnia Chronicles series & Lord Of The Rings series, respectively), I shamelessly commended in my last 5-minutes radio interview @ 7.50/55am on Sunday 6/7 @ http://bbc.co.uk/liverpool & plugged BBC 7-days iPlayer several times in the following week @ Y/A? As I said - direct to one current Oxford Professor Richard (Dork) Dawkins, in that interview, have you never stopped to ask why those TOP academics of the 30s had such firm, vibrant faith in God that they painstakingly created such works to inspire even young children? Readers, do you not know that even Dork Dawkins defined biology as "the study of species that give every apearance of having been designed for a purpose"? Why does he not see that's cuz they WERE? have actually taken time to check out How many readers know that evo-loopy Prof Richard (Loopy) Lewontin actually admitted, "It's not that the evidence compels us: we simply can't allow a Divine foot in the door" What makes ya think ya smart enuff 2 fool the Almighty Creator?? What makes ya think ya strong enuff 2 defeat the Almighty Creator in war?? Time to print some of the challenging questions questions @ Job 38-42 & 1 Corithians 1:18-31, eh? How many academics, already bored in such a cold, wet, windy summer, will now have the good sense to see the many FREE learned articles, mags, e-books, CDs, DVDs & MP3s @ http://www.discovery.org/csc http://www.creationism.org http://www.creationontheweb.org http://www.AnswersInGenesis.org & see the daily AiG specials - by such luminaries as witty Scouse geology Prof Dr Monty White & awesome Aussie wit Dr Ken Ham @ Video on Demand @:- http://www.RevelationTV.com http://www.GenesisTV.TV Christ the Wisdom and Power of God 18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."[a] 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength I'm by no means surprised that the best reply so far is from a pregnant lady Matt 24 has often been called a one-chapter summary of endtime Bible prophecy Jeus' friends asked, straight out, what signs would show both the end of the world & the return of Christ - as King of kings & Lord of lords A one-word summary of the reply is best explained to male ignoramuses by women who know the meaning of that one word Birthpains All kinds of disasters comig more & more frequent, stronger & stronger - serving to bring on The Great Delivery That, Aslan pictures in the gorgeous Prince Caspian movie, that I reviewed for award-winner Wayne Clarke's "Daybreak" show 2 weeks ago It starts in @ 57 mins @ http://bbc.co.uk/liverpool Zechariah 14 12 This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. EXACTLY WHAT THERMONUCLEAR HOLOCAUST DOES, RIGHT, GUYS?? 13 On that day men will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other. Take next the maybe most mocked part of Revelation 9 - till miltary 'copters, spraying biochems in the glare of the sun, fulfilled it The C1 visionary only had C1 lingo to describe what he saw Visualise a swarm of such, emerging outa battle smoke See the pilot's human face Hear the loud roaring Realise that the dazzlin speed of chopper blades does kinda resemble a woman's long hair Blowin' In The Wind Did ya know that, in the '70s Jesus Revolution, Bob Dylan made 3 albums of powerful gospel songs? Google 2When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth 4They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. 7The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces 8Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron & the sound of >> Guys A normal scorpion sting doesn't last 5 months In the '70s, USA perected a biochem spray whose technical secs described its FX as 'like a scorpion sting, lasting 5 months' Source? Revelation Visualised - by Salem Kirban & Gary Cohen - a superb collaboration between an Arab Christian & a Messianic Jew Consider & compare Revelation 8/9 - where everything is on the scale of a third of the world & its population & vegetation & water supply - to the totality in Revlation 16-19 Revelation prophesies the classic pattern of escalation In Rev 6:8, 25% of mankind die in a combo of war, famine, pestilence & wild beasts of Earth - maybe driven wild enough to kill folk by being sprayed with biochems Do google acoustic weapons research - to see the studied art of how to wipe out folk but leave the buildings etc intact & worth taking over What dB level shatters a Coke can into thousands of shards & turns ya internal organs to jelly? Clue: Marshall Air Force base tests 12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come. 13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns[b] of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind 16 The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number. 17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes Job 38 The LORD Speaks 1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: 2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? 3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone- 7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels [a] shouted for joy? 8 "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, 9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, 10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, 11 when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'? Still think search engines NOT poilitically censored by the evil conspirators of New World Order One World Govt worst global tyranny ever, sringing from the Machiavellian machinations of unelected, faceless EU bureaucrats Why do ya think Tony Blair wants to be EU President? Clue: google fat cat snouts in the trough Google Orwellian newspeak double speak Google Orwellian 1984 & Animal Farm classics Who saw the classic 60-min docu-drama @ him - not so long ago on http://www.Channel4TV.com - maybe in Video on Demand archives there? Why did said docu studiously omit to say that George Orwell was high up in Brit Intelligence & so REALLY knew his stuff? How many know that Aldou Huxley's bro, Julian, was high up in UNESCO? & got 'em to use Brave New World (1932 classic book) as model to achieve '100% healthy, harmonious, productive citizens' Know 70s CBS' Dan Schorr & CBC's Des Smith exposed how the TV end of fiber-optic cable has fish-eye lens & central over-ride? Midnight Hour now da best reply: so far Will Wayne play that in his 6-8.30am Radio Merseyside show? 5 mins to say USA, state by state, passed Home Certification Ordinances to set security standards Only homes with cable pass 70s ad: "If you go out & leave anything switched on, don't worry: we'll detect it in seconds & turn it off" Controls go 2 ways They'll 'accidentally' turn on gas @ night in homes of the sick, elderly, disabled & politicl dissidents/opponents '100% healthy, harmonious, productive society' Email media, MOPs senators, congressmen etc PrimeMinister@gov.uk President@Whitehouse.gov http://parliament.uk has MP email lists

Anyone know where to donate baby's cord blood in Charlotte, NC? If you have donated your baby's cord blood in Charlotte, NC please let me know your experience

Does anybody else feel guilt for not being able to afford cord blood banking? I don't know, maybe I'm crazy. I feel really bad because I can't afford cord blood banking (I didn't know it would cost about $2,000) plus I'm on bedrest and we have no second income. My husband and I discussed donating the cord blood but we were told it was too late. I feel really bad because if anything were to happen to my child I could've prevented it by banking her cord blood. Does anyone else feel guilt for this? My husband says since neither one of us has any family history of anything major so I shouldn't be stressing out about this too much. Thanks... I appreciate all the answers. It's comforting

Is there a way to bank cord blood for your child, and donate for others too? I was just curious.

Can my baby's cord blood save a friend? I have a friend who was diagnosed about a month ago with biphenotypic acute leukemia, is it possible for me to donate my baby's cord blood when she's born to help treat my friends condition?

What is the difference from Embryonic Stem Cells and Cord Blood Stem Cells? My husband and I currently have 4 children. At each of their births, we chose to have their cord blood collected and their stem cells stored at the Cord Blood Registry facility in Tucson, Arizona. When our first child was born in 1999, many people still did not know about cord blood and stem cells. Our youngest is 12 months old and it seems that more people are aware and interested in stem cell storage/usage. I have wondered a lot about the difference in ESC and the cord blood stem cells collected at birth. There are literally thousands of baby's born daily, why aren't mother's advised and/or given the option to donate their baby's cord blood? It may depend on morals or beliefs of the mother. Even if ESC's are better, shouldn't we still be concerned about saving the stem cells that are in cord blood? Is it a funding issue? I just couldn't waste my kids' cord blood, but #3 did have a small collection of only 29cc's (<1oz.).

i want to donate my baby's cord blood.Which bank will be the best?How should i register for it?

Question about cord blood donation... (The actual collection process!)? We've made arrangements to have our baby's cord blood donated, and have already received the kit in the mail & everything. (I'm 35 weeks) I was wondering, when they do the collection of the cord blood, do they do it before the cord is cut, or after the cord is cut? I was hoping to let the umbilical cord stop pulsating before having it cut - Is this out the question when collecting cord blood? It's fine with me if I can't have it that way now, I already have the kit and everything, I was just wondering how it was all done!

I was wondering if pregnant woman would be willing to donate their cord blood for sick people if it were ..? no cost or trouble to them. It could be life or death for someone and normally just gets thrown away. I donated one of my five childrens cord blood for research. I had to sign a waiver stating that I would not sue for it back to use for my child in case one of them got cancer or something. I asked at the bloodbank if they needed it. This was before cordblood was so readily used to cure so many ailments.

Cord blood donation? Anyone here deliver a baby recently and not donate your cord blood to the public cord bank? If so, why?

Cord blood banking? I heard once that you could donate you cord blood to a public bank . Has anyone actually done this and if so how do you get that process started? To be more specific I was actually wondering about donating it to a public bank, not the private banks. With the public banks you can donate for free and it goes to anyone in need not just you or your family.

are you going to donate your baby's cord blood? Today my best friend asked me if I'm going to, and to be quite honest, I had never even heard of it until just now.. I guess it's when you have the baby, you can either choose for the hospital to throw away the after birth or you can tell them to keep it to use it for stem cell research, or something. If I have this all wrong, feel free to correct me. :) What are your views on this? Would you do it? Have you done it?

Cord blood donation or banking? Has anyone here donated or banked their cord blood? I've been looking at information online and am interested. My hospital also participates in cord blood donation. I was wondering if anyone here had done it, or needed cord blood and any experiences they had with the process.

Should I donate my baby's cord blood? I tend to think donation makes more sense than storage because researchers are still in the process of studying the whole concept of cord blood and stem cells. Also, storage is expensive. What does anybody think?

Cord blood procedure? I have a very dear cousin who is about 10 and has type 1 diabetes, he lives in arizona and his aunt decided she would donate her childs cord blood to him, it is frozen at the hospital where the baby was born, but now what would be the next step? He has the donor, but what kind of doctors, or locations where my cousin can go to, to follow up with the procedure. Do they inject the cells into him? or what kind of doctor can follow up with the procedure? Please help, thanks so much.

Why do you have to pay to donate stem cells from pregnancy? Maybe I'm not doing my research correctly, but from what I have noticed you have to pay to donate the cord blood to companies? Why is that? I'm all for donating cord blood but don't understand why I have to pay for something that is helping someone else? I have done my research and want to donate, but I'm not going to donate if I have to pay. The company(ies) should be paying me for this valuable asset.

free baby cord blood donation? I am looking to donate my baby's cord blood to a bank. My hospital said I need to find a kit and have it ready for donation when I go into the hospital. I was hoping to find something where it doesn't cost me anything but i'm not coming up with anything on the internet. Any direction would be helpful. Is it going to cost me money either way?

Question About Cord-Blood? Can I donate my baby's cord blood to specific people who need it? Also will it cost me a lot of money, Just to donate it?

question about cord blood banking? I have been reading alot about cord blood banking, and i am not all for it (costly) i am also not against it! i do get it helps people, however here is the question, if you opt not to pay the high prices of banking it yourself, do the doctors do it anyway? Or i guess what i am asking is what do they do with the cord blood that people dont ask to donate?? does anyone know how it works or have you done it before?

will somebody explain to me how cord blood banking works? will they ask me in the hospital if i am interested? does is cost money to donate it? b/c i wouldnt mind donating it, i mean what the hey? but should i expect it to be brought up at the hospital when i go to deliver? im 39 wks and 2 days

Cord Blook Nazis? I had my baby 7 months ago. My hubby and I were sharing our memories when one horrible one popped up. Did you have cord blood harassment? My hospital gaves us like a 30 page document to read and sign if we wanted to donate cord blood. First, who the heck wants to read 30 pages when you are in pain?!?! I, personally, don't sign anything unless I read everything. Anyway, I declined because I could only read about 4 pages before the friggin pains intensified. Well, once we declined, we got harassed. Every nurse that came in kept telling us the benefit, etc. Also, once I declined, the once very nice nurse turned into an apathetic one. Anyone else experience this?

Do they still ask preggy mums to donate the cord bloods for stem cell research? have given them permission for each of my kids but havent had a baby for 6 years, do they still do this?

Why bank your babies blood cord? I am pregnant with my first baby, and in magazines I read a lot of advertisements on banking your child's umbilical cord. Could someone explain the purpose of this. Is this to help in regards to stem cell research? What would be the plus side to donating? Why would some people decide not to do this? I just have no idea, what the purpose is and would like to make an informed decision. Some of your answers stated that it is costly to bank the blood rather then donate? Although money is no issue when it comes to my babies health, how much does it cost to bank it?

Cord blood bank can save.....? I'm wondering if i have cord blood bank saved after delivery my baby, does it only save and is for the baby or can it be used for the family too or for me and my husband? Also is it work to have my own cord blood bank save? or i can donate it and in future we can get it from someone else to save us? so that means it can be saved for only one person at one time? cannot it be used again for other family or other time?

Cord Blood; A Life-saving Gift! what are your comments about that? Until recently, the umbilical cords from newborns were typically discarded after cutting the cord. But now, parents can choose to donate their infant's cord – at no cost to the parents – in the hope of saving the life of someone with cancer.

Stem cells and cord blood? If this is a "humane" and safe way to get stem cells, why do we not hear more about it? Why do hospitals simply discard this vital resource? I agree with banking cord blood and I agree with donating it. Now I don't know everything about this discussion and that is why I'm asking. I am hoping to learn a little more. http://www.cordblood.com/cord_blood_faqs/cord_blood.asp Crusader: The point of using cord blood is that it DOESN'T require the use of human embryos. It comes from the umbilical cord after the baby is born. :0) From everything I have been reading, embryonic stem cells tend to grow out of control and don't seem to work as well as adult stem cells. By the way, I purposely avoid right to life sources so that I can be sure the information is not biased. I try to read scientific journals, etc. regarding these type of things.

has anybody ever donated their cordblood? i know how important donating blood is so when i read online that if you dont bank your cord blood for your children then the hospitals just throw is away as "waste" they dont ask questions that is just their "default"...well my hospital lets you donate it if you tell them you want to. and i was thinking "why not, im not gonna use it, i could save someone's life and someday i might need a transplant or something like that" well i told i few people that i was gonna donate it and i thought people would be like "good for you" or "good idea" but most people were like "why would you do that?" i was dumbfound with the negative responses i got!!!!! has anyone donated their cord blood. and has anyone ever gotten weird replies from people like i have?

I'm thinking about banking my baby's umbilical cord blood.? I recieved an E-mail about it after signing up for baby zone after I found out I was pregnant. I started reading it and it said my baby's cord blood could cure my osteoporosis. Does anyone know anything about this or done it. They say there is enough stem cell in one umbilical cord to help many people. It is very expensive and just want to know what others think. I think it's worth the money. (even if it can't help me) If I can't afford it I will at least donate it. I'm am not killing a helpless child to get the stem cells!!!! I am giving life to a beautiful healthy baby, my gift from God!! I just want to use the umbilical cord blood, which is going in the trash. I am a christian I know the rules I would never hurt an unborn child to get them!! I THINK IT IS ANOTHER GIFT FROM GOD JUST LIKE MY CHILD IS!! My husband's sister died a week before he was born(age 5) with Hurler's syndrom and we both have a history of diabetic's in our family, both baby's G-ma's and 1Great G-ma. I could give my child my osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

Blood Cord Storage - Best value? We are having a baby in June and want to do blood cord storage because our 10 year old has diabetes. Here's the thing.... It seems that there is a huge difference in prices out there and I'm looking for the best value. Right now we are looking at Neocell but we are not sure. I am not comfortable donating because I want to make sure it will be there for my son if needed. Has anyone done the research to determine best value for blood cord storage?

what do hospitals do with blood cords? as in are they just tossed out or are some donated for scientific study or just donated in general to a blood cord bank also do they need permission to do any of these things or is it basically "property of the hospital" once you decide not to personally store it at a bank

Would you save a life if you could? If you or someone you know is pregnant I am asking you to check into donating the cord blood at the birth. To learn more about it. go to http://www.parentsguidecordblood.org/ It won't cost you anything to donate it, it doesn't hurt you or the baby in anyway and the blood is just thrown away otherwise. People are dying everyday from blood cancers that could be cured with a donation from your baby. How amazing is that? Please, Please learn more about it. Someone dies every 5 minutes from a blood cancer. Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease,etc.

25week appointment-- my list of questions- what am i missing? 1. Results of blood work/ pap/ level II ultrasound? 2. Baby is breech as of last ultrasound- by what week should she turn- and if she doesn’t turn, at what week is a c-section scheduled? (I would like to avoid an emergency c-section but am content with a planned one) 3. Will there be additional ultrasounds? 4. I have a lot of flem/mucous in my throat and nose constantly- but I am not sick. 5. My skin gets itchy especially after showering/bathing- is there some sort of anti-itch body lotion? 6. Where does the birth take place/ Where to go if in labor? 7. Are there any child birthing classes offered by the hospital? 8. Can I wear my own clothing during L&D? 9. Is filming / videotaping of the birth allowed by the hospital? 10. Will my husband be allowed to stay with me through all parts of L&D? What about if it is a c-section? 11. Will I be allowed to eat/drink during labor? 12. Will I be allowed to move around? 13. Are water births offered by the hospital? 14. Views on episiotomy? 15. Labor interventions- how often are they utilized? What is do you utilize more often forceps or vacuum? 16. What types of pain relief are offered for vaginal delivery? 17. Epidural, spinal, systematic? What are the specific drug options in systematic medication? 18. Pain relief during c-section? What options are available besides spinal block and epidural? Is general an option for a planned c section? Is general an option for emergency c section? 19. Upon vaginal delivery of a healthy baby- is the baby taken out of the room? Can my partner accompany the baby at all times if I am unable to? 20. Upon c-section delivery is the baby taken out of the room? If so, can my partner accompany the baby? 21. Can the baby room with me during the entire hospital stay? 22. Can all newborn procedures be done in the same room as the delivery with my husband and I present? 23. Can I request for no nurse to feed the child but instead for my partner or I to bottle feed the baby at all times? 24. What medicines / vaccines are given to a baby upon birth? What non medicinal things may be given to the baby during the hospital stay (pacifier? Formula? Sugar water? Other?) 25. I want to donate cord blood, what do I fill out/ do in order to donate? 26. Is Pitocin given routinely after placenta delivery? If so, why? I am trying to access their rules b4 coming up with a birth plan which i hope to have ready by the next appointment. I just started prenatal care at 20 weeks so i have not had the chance to ask any of this yet- i know most women know this stuff by now. Actually i own a lot of pregnancy books- what does that have to do with most of my questions, each doctors rules and hospitals rules vary widely.

Have any of you read or heard of this book? My Sister's Keeper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sister's_Keeper Anna came into the world by in vitro fertilization so that she would be a genetic match for her older sister Kate, who was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia when she was 2 years old. When Anna was born, her cord blood was donated to her sister, but when the leukemia returned she then had to donate blood and bone marrow. When Kate's kidneys fail Anna is expected to donate a kidney to save her sister, but she hires a lawyer to be medically emancipated from her parents and gain the right to make the decision for herself. Her lawyer, Campbell Alexander, works for her pro bono. I realize that I could ask this in the books/literature section, but there are spiritual/ethical issues involved. I am not saying how I feel one way or the other, so please don't attack me. If you have read it, what are your thoughts? Glitter and cj, I feel as you do. I am still reading, but it disturbs me that the girl feels "invisible," as if her parents only want her to be "her sister's keeper."

To all you Mummies to be ....? Did you know that when you have given birth to your beautiful child you could also save the life of someone else too? By donating the blood from the umbilical cord, which would normally be thrown away, you could be giving the gift of life to someone else's child too. My daughter is pregnant and I don't think she has been told about this by her midwife so I'll be showing her the website. I only found out about it because I'm a blood donor and visited the website to find out when I'll be donating again. Please visit the site and think about it. Health and happiness to you all in the new year x x http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/cord_blood.html To Audi, the question is 'Do you know you can save another life by donating your cord blood' I am not trying to infect your pc here. Visit the blood donor website and check it out. If you don't trust my link then just google blood donation. I just wanted to let people know as there must be a lot of blood wasted when it could be used to save other childrens lives.

Is this a good birth plan? Is there anything else I should include? Birth Preferences for ******* **** Due Date: April 10, 2009 Patient of Dr. ******** ****** Obstetrician / Gynecologist / ****** ****** Medical Center December 10, 2009 I am looking forward to sharing my birth experience with you. I have created this birth plan in order to outline some of my preferences for birth. I would appreciate you reviewing this plan, and would be happy to do so with you. I understand that there may be situations in which my choices may not be possible, but I hope that you will help me to move toward my goals as much as possible and to make this labor and birth a great experience. I do not want to replace the medical personnel, but instead want to be informed of any procedures in advance, and to be allowed the chance to give informed consent. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions or comments. Thank you! Please Note My bloodtype is Rh- (Rhesus Negative) I have Vasil Vagil (Syncope) so I am prone to low blood pressure and passing out. Please do not be alarmed if I temporarily black out during hard pushing. Labor I would prefer not to be shaved. I expect that doctors and hospital staff will discuss all procedures with me before they are performed. I would like a quiet, soothing environment during labor, with dim lights and minimal interruptions. I would like to play my own music. I do not mind observation by students, interns or staff. I would like to avoid labor induction unless it is medically necessary. Anesthesia/Pain Medication I'd like to have as natural a birth as possible. Please don't offer me pain relief medication or do any interventions unless necessary. If I ask for pain relief, please feel free to offer non-medical choices for coping and/or remind me how close I am to the birth. Cesarean Section Delivery I feel very strongly that I would like to avoid a cesarean delivery. I would prefer to remain conscious during the delivery. If a cesarean is necessary, I expect to be fully informed of all procedures and actively participate in decision-making. I would like My mom to be present during the surgery. Please explain the surgery to me as it happens. If conditions permit, I would like to be the first to hold My son after the delivery. If possible, I would like to breastfeed my son shortly after the birth. I would like our plans outlined here for after the birth to be followed as closely as possible. If possible, please lower the screen just before delivery so I may see the birth of the baby. Perineal Care I would prefer not to have an episiotomy, but I would rather have an episiotomy than risk a tear. To help my perineum stretch, please help guide my pushing efforts by letting me know when to push and when to stop. Delivery I do not want to use stirrups while pushing. I would prefer my mom, sisters and/or nurses to support me and my legs as necessary during the pushing stage. I would like to have a mirror available so I can see my son's head crowning. I would like to have the birth recorded with photographs, video tape and/or tape recording. I would prefer not to have an assisted birth unless medically necessary for the baby's health. Immediately after the birth If conditons permit, please place my son on my stomach/chest immediately after delivery. I would like to breastfeed my son shortly after the birth. I would like the option to cut the cord. I prefer to wait for spontaneous delivery of the placenta and do not want a routine injection of pitocin. Please remove my IV/Heparin lock/catheter as soon as possible after delivery. I would like to donate the umbilical cord blood if possible. Postpartum Care I would prefer not to be catheterized until I've had some private time to attempt urination on my own. If available, I would prefer a private room. I would like my son in the nursery and brought to me on request and for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding I plan to breastfeed and want to nurse shortly following the birth. I would like to know more about breastfeeding. I would like to meet with the staff lactation consultant. Please do not give my baby a pacifier until I've had a chance to discuss it with the lactation consultant. Additional notes I am planning for my son to be circumcised before we check out of the hospital. Thanks happy! I didn't think about that. The reasons I'm opting for circumcision have nothing to do with 'naturalness' or anything like that. And the reasons I'm opting for "natural birth" are probably not even why you are thinking so I would just let me make my decision. Just so you know, not having a C-section doesn't have anything to do with not wanting a surgery done... I have had surgeries before. It has to do with the risks that come with VBAC and later pregnancies... not to mention... why on earth would ANYONE want a C-section if it wasn't medically necessary? That's just a lot more to recover from. And the reasons for not wanting pain meds... is not for the natural thing either. To be quite honest it's because I've carried this baby for how long now? I'd like to actually be able to feel it when he comes out. I don't see any problem with Circumcision. The baby's dad is circumcised. So is my dad and grandpa and generations back. So you can feel free not to circumcise your kid, while I do so with mine. Thank you.

Why not stem cell research? Why do so many people oppose stem cell research? YA YA YA I know the whole debate about using aborted baby’s and unused embryos,(yes I’m pro choice) But do you people opposed to stem cell reacherch know there are other sources for stem cells? Like umbilical cord blood! You can donate your baby’s umbilical cord blood after it’s born and they use the stem cells in the cord blood for research, if you don’t donate it they just throw it away. So what’s the problem with that? Ill tell you what To appease all you prolifers what do you say we stop using aborted baby’s and unused embryos for research and just use umbilical cord blood, would that make you happy? That way we can continue the life saving research and both sides will be satisfied.

Controversial subject - beware! ? My Dr. asked me if we wanted to donate our child's cord blood to a bank after birth. I'm one that strongly disbelieves in Stem Cell research (personal opinion - not that it's right or wrong). We will gladly donate IF we know it doesn't go towards Stem Cell, but I cannot find anything online to confirm. Can you ladies help, please? and no rude answers - everyone is entitled to their opinions whether they support or don't support Stem Cell. We would just like to have all the facts before we donate. Okay, again people....I didn't ask for your opinions on the subject (mostly because no matter what any of you say it WILL NOT change my mind) I asked if they were the same. I am against abortions at ANY and all costs. As far as the "doing research" if you read I said I tried and couldn't find whether they are related. Everyone who answered RUDELY will be reported, and blocked! get a life people, it;s just a question, and MY child!!

This is for all the healthcare disorder savy peole out there. Is herpes simplex 2 bloodborne? i know it's primarily spread by sexual contact with an active outbreak or viral shedding, and that it retreats back into main nerves along the spinal cord nearest the infection. there are blood tests as well as smears for it. the question is, is it in itself bloodborne, is that what the titer tests for (the virus itself) or the T-memory cells and antibodies that fight the virus. Also, that said, can someone with HSV-2 donate blood. I did some research with the local blood banks just out of curiosity and found that they do not test for HSV-2 in donor blood, which lead me to believe the actual virus is not blood borne? either that or the need for blood far outweighs the risk? or i just live in a dangerously retro-medical city

Donating cord blood? *What's your opinion on it? *One couple I know said they didn't because of "potential liability"--Any ideas what they meant? *Another friend said she thought it actually costs the donor parents money--Is that true?

Cord Blood Banking? We can't afford to bank the babies cord blood, but I know how beeficial it is. Is there some way I can donate it so even though we can't store it some other child could benefit?

Cord Blood Donation? Donation was not possible when my son was born because the hospital didn't offer it and am thinking about donating my daughter's cord blood. Has anyone done this? Any thoughts? Yep really am talking about donation. Banking is really expensive and there's no evidence that it can really help and no long term research as to storage degradation

can someone please revise / edit my essay and give me any suggestions? ASAP? Who knew that when whites went to Africa and abducted Africans that invention’s that contributes to our everyday lives would come from them? African Americans have come along way from being just slaves, thanks to them they have impacted my life by inventing things that improve my communication, save lives, and fill my stomach. Henry Sampson should be called the Father of Inventors; by revolutionizing the way phones work and making them a hand held device we can carry around anywhere. The Cell phone a multimillion dollar production that doesn’t seem to fade is one of the number one items that everyone seems to have. The cell phone impacted my life by making a call from anywhere just a click away. With messaging, pictures, agenda, alarm, games and much more the cell phone helps me keep in check with life and be organized. If inventing a cell phone was not African American Dr. Charles Drew decided to take a different step and help save lives. By separating liquid red blood cells from the near solid plasma and freezing them separately, the blood could be stored for later use. After discovering that you could save blood Dr. Drew went on and invented blood banks and spread them all around the world. Dr. Drew discovery on blood and inventing blood banks have impacted my life immensely. My mom when she was young broke her spinal cord and needed hospital attention immediately, from Puerto Rico she came here to the United States and got operated; during her operation she received blood transfusions that were saved up in blood banks and was donated from charitable people. If it wasn’t for Dr. Drew my mom would have never recovered and never would have made me. Peanut butter, ice cream, and potato chips are all hard to resist food that we crave everyday. Inventors come up with all types of stuff in this case George Washington Carver, Augustus Jackson, and George Crum decided to invent snacks that satisfy my and the worlds taste buds. Augustus Jackson inventor of half of the ice cream flavors today is accredited with being the ice cream inventor, George Washington Carver with just some peanuts made peanut butter a sticky delight in my mouth, and finally George Crum after having his French fries being neglected twice as sarcasm he cut the potato paper thin and sent them back out to the customer as a result the customer was over joy and the potato chip popularity grew. Peanut butter, ice cream, and potato chips have impacted my life because whenever I want a cool treat, a salty crunch or a sticky snack ill look in my pantry closet or my refrigerator and take it out. Not only have these three inventors impact my life but they also help me have many memories. In Conclusion, As a result of whites making Africans move to America against their will many inventions have come from them. African Americans have impacted my life by improving communication, helping save lives and making our midnight cravings satisfied. Thanks to Henry Sampson, Dr. Charles Drew, George Washington Carver, Augustus Jackson, and George Crum for making a huge impact in my life and using there brains to invent life changing inventions.

Cord Blood Banking? Is anyone thinking about cord blood banking? It will cost us money for them to do it but it seems every where I turn I either see advertisements for it or posters. Of course that could be cause I'm reading pregnancy magazines hahaha. I don't think we are going to do it but supposedly you can donate the cord blood for other people to use if they need it.

Can Cloned Meat Cause Mad Cow Disease in Humans? Ok,I've been looking this up since they're having a meat recall.but I recently found this. “Mad cow” is an infectious disease in the brain of cattle. Humans who become infected, usually by eating tissue from diseased cattle, will die of a similar brain disease that may develop over many years. Abnormal proteins called prions are found in brain tissue of diseased cattle. Prions eat away at the brain and create tiny spongelike holes in parts of the brain. These so-called spongy holes cause slow deterioration within the cattle brain, and eventually symptoms affecting the whole body. Death follows. The scientific name for mad cow disease in cattle is called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (meaning sick brain) or BSE, meaning a sickness of the cow’s brain. If humans eat diseased tissue from cattle, they may develop the human form of mad cow disease known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in its classic form usually occurs in older people through an inherited tendency of the brain to change or spontaneously for no apparent reason. The type identified as occurring from eating diseased cattle occurs in younger people and has atypical clinical features, with prominent psychiatric or sensory symptoms at the time of clinical presentation and delayed onset of neurologic abnormalities. These neurologic abnormalities include ataxia within weeks or months, dementia (loss of memory and confusion) and myoclonus late in the illness, a duration of illness of at least 6 months, and a diffusely abnormal non-diagnostic electroencephalogram. The transmissible agents that cause the disease in both cattle and humans are “prions.” Prions are not like bacteria or viruses that cause other infectious diseases; rather, they are infectious proteins. Diseased prions are found in the brain, spinal cord, eye (in the retina), and other tissues of the nervous system of affected animals or humans. In addition, prions can be found outside the nervous system including the bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes. Low levels of prions may also be found in blood. Prions are highly resistant to heat, ultraviolet light, radiation, and disinfectants that normally kill viruses and bacteria. Prions may infect humans who eat meat from infected cattle. Even cooking meat infected with BSE does not eliminate the prions or the risk. Once infection occurs, there is a long incubation period that typically lasts several years. When prions reach a critical level in the brain, symptoms such as depression, difficulty walking, and dementia occur and progress rapidly. Scientists believe that BSE is transmitted from animals to humans when humans eat meat from infected animals. The content of infected brain tissue may be higher in some food products than others, and it may also depend on the way the animal was slaughtered. BSE be transmitted from one human to another through cannibalism or through transplantation of infected tissue. Consequently, certain human blood products and blood donations are not accepted from people who have lived in areas of the world where BSE outbreaks have occurred in cattle. BSE has been shown to be transmissible by blood transfusion in an experimental model using sheep. The blood of BSE-infected sheep has been shown to be infectious even in the preclinical stage of disease, and there has been a report of possible transmission of vCJD by blood transfusion to a single person in the United Kingdom. In December 2003, the first case of BSE in the United States was detected in a dairy cow in the state of Washington. Before that, a devastating, major outbreak occurred in the United Kingdom (England and Ireland) in the 1980s. BSE and resulting cases of vCJD in humans have been diagnosed in the UK and in European countries such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Norway, Sweden, and Yugoslavia. Because there is no way to detect BSE in blood, people who have lived in these areas from 1980 to the present are not allowed to donate blood in the US, under January 2002 guidelines from the US Food and Drug Administration. Overall, prion diseases are a large group of related conditions affecting the nervous system, which affect both animals and humans. Included is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), discussed in detail here in relation to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, mad cow disease). Another human prion disease is Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS). In animals, chronic wasting disease (CWD) is found in mule deer and elk in the US, and scrapie is a similar condition found in sheep. Cases have been reported in the US. These diseases all take a long time to develop but are typically rapidly progressive once symptoms begin. All prion diseases are fatal. Animals and humans who develop a prion disease will die of it. There is no effective treatment. It is important to understand how these diseases are transmitted in order to prevent their spread.

Stem Cell Research? http://www.yahoo.com/s/598311 I think this is great! I do not agree with using embryos for this, but if they can use skin cells to the same effect, wouldn't you donate? On the same subject, I am interested in donating (not storing) my umbilical cord to a blood bank for the whole stem cell thing... but I am overseas and the military doc I have says I have to get the kit myself. Does anyone know how to get this kit? I stuck it here because Politics seems to get more answers than medical, and stem cells seem to be a very politically hot issue whenever they're brought up. One other slight snag... I'll be giving birth in Japan... and the places I've found online all want face to face interviews. All this hassle just to help... oh well... its worth it...