This is a great first in France. The court in Grasse, in the Alpes-Maritimes, authorized a couple to keep the umbilical cord of their future baby “for duly justified therapeutic reasons”. The family, who have a serious medical history of liver and pancreatic cancer, made the request last October.
By acceding to the request of this couple, who are expecting their baby on December 18, the justice system allows the freezing of the umbilical cord, the blood of which could be used in the event that the child develops a serious illness. “We can use stem cells to regenerate an organ. It may be a future gift that I give to my child, to be able to heal tomorrow thanks to this. I would have regretted not doing so. Even if tomorrow doesn't work out,” the mum-to-be told RTL .
Usually, the umbilical cord is destroyed, as it is considered medical waste in France. It is therefore a British company that will take care of the sampling and freezing after delivery and keep it for at least 25 years.
