Overview

• A pilot study in Stem Cells Translational Medicine shows researchers at the University of Colorado collected viable fetal stem cells from vaginal fluid following full-term deliveries.
• The team reprogrammed the isolated cells into induced pluripotent stem cells and differentiated them into functional cardiomyocytes.
• Samples from four vaginal births—including three infants diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome—provided patient-specific cells without invasive procedures.
• This non-invasive collection method bypasses second-trimester amniocentesis and offers a readily available source for stem cell banking and in vitro disease modeling.
• Researchers are planning larger trials to assess the safety, efficacy and scalability of translating this approach into clinical regenerative therapies.