New rules coming in this summer will make it impossible for dads or midwifes at a home birth to collect cord blood.
The Human Tissue Authority says that a licence is required for any maternity unit where cord blood is collected.
There has been a rise, recently, in private services offering kits to expectant parents so that they can collect the cord blood themselves at home. Cord blood and placenta blood is rich in stem cells and are stored for potential use in treating cancers and other serious illnesses later in the child's life.
Adrian McNeil, the chief executive of The Human Tissue Authority, explained why they had decided to license cord collection. 'We have heard that fathers, who of course have no experience in collecting cord blood, may be involved in the procedure. The result is that the best samples may not be collected. It is also important for the midwife to concentrate on the welfare of the mother and child.'
May 2008
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