Premature babies often have to be put on breathing machines because their lungs aren’t fully developed, and some develop a condition called bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or BPD.
BPD is an inflammation and scarring in the lungs that results from the oxygen given to premature infants. The symptoms can last for many months and in a few cases leave the child with lifelong health problems. The condition affects some 10,000 newborns every year. So far treating it has usually meant tackling the symptoms.
A recent Canadian study might point to a new treatment, however, involving stem cells from umbilical cords.
View the original article here: Excellent Idea of the Day: Stem Cells for Babies