Cord Blood Storage
Cord Blood vs. Bone Marrow
| Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation | Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Transplant Patient | Cost |
No Additional Costs |
Bone marrow donor hospitalization fees, disability compensation insurance premiums, Korea Bone Marrow Donor Program registration fees, etc. |
| Timing of Transplantation |
Immediate transplantation possible based on the patient’s condition and the attending doctor’s medical opinion |
Time required to find a suitable bone marrow donor (average wait time in Korea is about 1,907 days), with the health of both the patient and the donor being crucial |
|
| Donor | Collection |
Collected from the umbilical cord naturally discharged during childbirth, with no mental or physical burden on the mother or newborn |
Physical and mental burden due to the bone marrow harvesting process under general anesthesia, requiring 2-3 days of hospitalization and recovery, along with concerns about potential aftereffects |
| Hospital Visit |
No need for hospital visits since all necessary tests are completed during cord blood storage |
Frequent hospital visits for various tests |
|
| Clinical Significance | Proliferation & Differentiation Ability |
High availability (10 times more compared to bone marrow) |
Low availability |
| Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Matching Rate |
Transplantation possible if at least 4 out of 6 HLA markers match |
All 6 HLA markers must match for transplantation |
|
| Transplant-Related Side Effects |
Low risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) |
High risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) |
|
| Transplant Preparation Period |
Immediate availability |
Several months required from donor search to transplantation |
|
| Microbial Infection L |
Low risk of bacterial and viral infections |
High risk of bacterial and viral infections |
|