Why the Placenta?
A Mother's Gift
The placenta is essentially your baby’s life support system. It provides the perfect immunological and metabolic conditions for your baby to grow and thrive while in utero. The placenta is rich in mesenchymal stem cells, amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane, Wharton’s jelly, chorionic membrane, and umbilical veins. All of these can be preserved and used to help others.
It is a common practice to administer mesenchymal stem cells intravenously and intramuscularly during invasive and reparative surgeries.
This tissue has been used in reconstructive surgeries since the early 1900s. It is often the treatment of choice in healing certain wounds and soft tissue injuries. This biological membrane can be used as a natural covering at the surgical incision site.
This membrane is used in some eye surgeries as a base layer that helps heal or replace damaged ocular tissue. Physicians treat corneal ulcerations and chemical burns with this membrane.
Birth tissue is also used by dentists to treat gum disease. It can assist a patient’s gum tissue to kick-start the growth of new cells and tissue that replace diseased sections. A difficult alternative is for the patient to have tissue harvested from their own palate to replace the section of diseased tissue.
Using birth tissue can help eliminate the need to harvest tissue from the actual patient or cadavers. Currently, this type of tissue can be applied in tens of thousands of surgeries each year.
Diabetic foot ulcers, pressure wounds, venous leg ulceration and severe burns that remain inflamed can be treated with birth tissue. It aids in reducing inflammation and quickens soft tissue recovery by helping the wound site close more rapidly. It can also reduce the presence of scar tissue. The birth tissue contains growth factors and proteins that can accelerate healing by helping the recipient’s own cells regenerate damaged tissue.
Trauma or repetitive use of certain joints can cause damage to the tissue surrounding them. Tissue tears can become inflamed. If they create scar tissue, it could impede natural healing at the injury site. Birth tissue can help treat sports injuries because of the natural proteins and growth factors it contains. These can reduce scarring and inflammation.
Stem Cells
Mesenchymal stem cells are used in clinical studies for Crohn’s Disease, Diabetes Mellitus Type I and II, Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Surgical Wounds, ALS / Lou Gehrig Disease, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. These cells are also used around the world in clinical trials. They may play an important role in regenerative medicine which aims to repair or replace damaged or diseased cells and organs.