18. Saving baby's cord cells for the future

Cord blood banking is becoming popular among Malaysian parents but is it really necessary?

IT was during one of her routine check-ups, while pregnant with her first child, that Amy Lim (not her real name) noticed the banners promoting umbilical cord blood (UCB) banking.

My husband and I got curious, so we called up the company to inquire about the services offered.

We wanted to know the benefits of storing our baby's cord blood, and whether the stem cells (from the blood) would still be viable years down the road, says 38-year-old Lim, a senior finance manager.

Satisfied with the answers they received, Lim and her husband decided to sign up for a package to privately store their daughter's cord blood. That was seven years ago.

When her second daughter arrived four years ago, Lim decided it was not necessary to repeat the process.

The cord blood can be used for siblings as well, so we didn't think it was necessary to store for both but we're glad we did it with our first child because we believe it would benefit our children.

With medical advancements, should they need it in future, at least we have it you know, just in case, Lim says.

Lim is not alone.

In the last decade, private cord blood banking has gained popularity in Malaysia, with many parents preferring to err on the side of caution.

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18. Saving baby's cord cells for the future