Amniotic fluid is a rich source of stem cells - that can now be harvested

Amniotic fluid, the protective liquid surrounding an unborn baby, is discarded as medical waste during caesarean section deliveries. However, there is increasing evidence that this fluid is a source of valuable biological material, including stem cells with the potential for use in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. A team of scientists and clinicians at Lund University in Sweden have now developed a multi-step method, including a unique collection device and new cell harvesting and processing techniques, that enables term amniotic fluid to be safely harvested for large quantities of cells. The new method is used in combination with full-term caesarean section deliveries, and with millions of caesarean sections performed worldwide each year , it opens the potential for an unexploited reserve of stem cells and valuable bioactive molecules in the fluid surrounding the baby to be utilized. "We showed that using our device, we can collect up to a litre of amniotic fluid at full-term caesarean deliveries. The collection added on average 90 seconds to the operation, and was safe for both mother and child," says Associate Professor Andreas Herbst, lead clinician and a corresponding author of the study. The collection device , which has been constructed with bio-inert plastics and 3D-printing techniques, forms a seal with the fetal cavity , enabling gentle and sterile collection of large volumes of amniotic fluid, while being completely safe for mother and baby.