Monthly Archives: April, 2023

Stem cell have the unique ability to transform into any cell in the human body.

It is believed that the beginning of the study of stem cell was in the 1960s after the research of Canadian scientists Ernest McCulloch and James Till. The umbilical cord contains two types of stem cells: hematopoietic, found in the blood of the umbilical cord, and mesenchymal, found in the tissue of the umbilical cord.

WHAT CAN STEM CELLS BE USED FOR?

As medicine advances, new uses for stem cells are constantly being discovered. They are approved for the treatment of nearly 100 severe conditions, including blood disorders, different types of cancer, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, etc. Studies are underway on the use of stem cells to repair the heart after a heart attack. Stem cells are also used to repair severely damaged soft tissues.

IS STEM CELL HARVESTING DANGEROUS FOR THE DONOR?

Stem cells are harvested from the baby’s umbilical cord after birth. The process is painless and safe for both mother and baby. Usually both cord blood and tissue are harvested. The procedure can be performed either by the delivery team or by a person from the tissue bank of your choice.

FOR HOW LONG ARE STEM CELLS STORED?

Stem cells are stored for a period of 20 years. After that, the contract can be renewed by your child who will already be an adult.

HOW MUCH DOES STEM CELL HARVESTING COST?

The entire procedure of performing the necessary laboratory tests, the harvesting itself, processing and storage of the stem cells for 20 years costs about BGN 5,000. Most tissue banks offer various installment payment options.

There is an option to donate stem cells to the National Public Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Donor Bank, which is free of charge. The difference with private tissue banks is that in a public tissue bank the preserved biological material is made available to the people who need it, whether they are donors or just people needing a transplant.

ESSENTIAL TESTS AND TIPS FOR A PEACEFUL PREGNANCY

In women with Hashimoto the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, which secretes the hormones Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4). Due to structural and functional damage, over time the thyroid gland starts to secrete smaller amounts of T3 and T4. The medical term for this condition is “hypothyroidism” (“hypo” – sub, low). The main function of both hormones is to regulate basal metabolic rate, heart rate and body temperature. When T3 and T4 levels are low, the metabolic and heart rates drop and body temperature decreases. This leads to a number of other symptoms, most notably constipation, fatigue and weight gain.

GETTING PREGNANT WITH HASHIMOTO

As we have discussed in previous articles, being overweight by itself makes conceiving more challenging because of the hormonal imbalance it causes. The increased amount of fatty tissue converts male sex hormones (androgens) into female sex hormones (estrogens). Often this is accompanied by insulin resistance (cells do not react to insulin), which in turn leads to elevated levels of insulin and androgens (male sex hormones). All of these factors have a negative effect on ovulation. It can become irregular or stop completely, which makes getting pregnant more difficult.

Even if they are not overweight, women with Hashimoto have a hormonal imbalance associated with decreased levels of T3 and T4. This can in itself lead to ovulation disorders and difficulty getting pregnant.

Even after getting pregnant, hormone levels in women with Hashimoto have to be monitored much more closely, because pregnancy has higher demands on the thyroid gland. If those are not met complications and even miscarriage can ensue. However, close monitoring of the pregnancy and good management of the autoimmune condition greatly improve chances of an uncomplicated pregnancy carried to term.

All this may sound alarming but remember that modern medicine offers very good management of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The most important thing is early diagnosis! In February 2018, the famous American supermodel Gigi Hadid announced on social media that she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease. However, that did not stop her from becoming the 5^th highest paid model in 2017, with $ 9.5 million annual income.