A first-ever surgery for cord blood transplantation will be performed in Armenia, rector of Yerevan State Medical University, former health minister Armen Muradyan said in Facebook post on Sunday, October 22.

"A sister was born to save her brother's life," Muradyan said.

"A newborn girl in Armenia will serve as a donor for her brother who suffers from anemia. Transplantation of cord blood of a newborn will be performed for the first time in our country."

Umbilical cord blood, like bone marrow and peripheral blood, is a rich source of stem cells for transplantation. There may be advantages for certain patients to have cord blood stem cell transplants instead of transplants with marrow or peripheral blood stem cells