X-Message-Number: 9152
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 17:45:52 -0500
From: Brook Norton <>
Subject: Umbilical cord blood storage

Tim Freeman was asking for comments about umbilical cord blood storage,
related to the issue of his expected child.  I have a 2 yr old and was
considering it also, but ultimately did not do it do to the effort involved
and the relatively unlikely need for using it.  However, it was a close
call and in general I think its a good idea for the reasons you mentioned=2E =

Additionally, it would provide a sample of "fresh DNA" from your child.  As
you age, your DNA in each cell mutates, wandering farther and farther from
the original blueprint used to build you in the first place.  Cloning from
a cell from an old person might result in a clone with developmental
defects.  Should your child ever be cryonically suspended in old age, the
umbilical sample could help future doctors (doing the reanimation)
reconstruct healthy "young" tissue groups.  I doubt that the umbilical
sample is required for the regeneration of healthy tissue (or whole bodies)
but no one knows, and taking the sample takes some of the burden off future
doctors to be extra clever.  In this vein, I have had my own tissue sample
preserved in a vial, treated with antioxidants and kept in my freezer by a
company offering the service.

Brian Wowk had a child recently and did have an umbilical sample stored (I
believe).  So you may want to contact him.

Brook Norton
Aerospace Engineer
Southern CA
"God is dead, freeze your head"

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