In a pioneering ruling, the Grasse court in France's Alpes-Maritimes region has granted a couple permission to keep their baby's umbilical cord "for duly justified therapeutic reasons." The family, with a history of severe liver and pancreatic cancers, filed the request last October.
This decision allows the freezing of the umbilical cord blood, which is rich in stem cells that could treat serious illnesses if the child develops them later. "We can use stem cells to regenerate an organ. It may be a future gift I give to my child, to heal tomorrow thanks to this," the expectant mother told RTL. "I would have regretted not doing it—even if it doesn't work out tomorrow."
Typically, umbilical cords are discarded as medical waste in France. Here, a British company will collect, freeze, and store it post-delivery for at least 25 years, with the baby due on December 18.
