News stories in the Kent Messenger Group's Bromley Extra newspaper on the collection of stem cells have resulted in more mothers who have stored their baby’s cells coming forward. Reporter Vicki Kellaway reports.

MOTHERS who stored their babies stem cells in case of future illness say it would have been much easier if their midwives were allowed to help.

Helga Pullin and Caroline Hill relied on their husbands to collect the cells from their umbilical cord minutes after their babies were born.

Their Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust midwives were unable to help because the Trust refuses to collect cells for commercial storage. Other hospitals will collect the cells if the mother signs a disclaimer.

Both women spoke to Bromley Extra after articles appered on the controversial procedure.

Mrs Pullin, 36, gave birth to her daughter Kelsey at the Princess Royal University Hospital, in Farnborough, 19 months ago.

She heard about stem cells, which scientists hope can be used to develop specialist tissue for illnesses including cancer, leukaemia and Alzheimer’s disease, after the birth of her three-year-old son Reece.

Caroline Hill gave birth at home and was worried she would have to collect her own stem cells immediately after her baby arrived.

Her husband David runs his own business and baby Conor, now 18 months, arrived during a busy week at work.

Mrs Hill, 38, said she would have panicked less knowing her midwife would collect the cells, because it was possible that she may have had to extract them herself if he couldn’t get there.

But, despite the restrictions, she said the midwives were excellent.

“My husband was able to collect the cells and he was really supported by the midwives. They talked him through the whole thing,” Mrs Hill said.

Mrs Pullin, from Norheads Lane, Biggin Hill, said that her husband, Keith collected the cells from the umbilical cord on his own, while she slept after the birth.

She said: “The midwife was going to do the extraction, but then the hospital management said they were not allowed to participate at all.”

Some midwives will collect the cells if parents sign a disclaimer saying the hospital is not liable if the process is unsuccessful.

KING’S College Hospital, in central London, allows midwives to collect stem cells on a parent’s behalf, providing they sign a disclaimer.

A hospital spokesman said: “Our policy is that if a mother asks us to collect the cells then we do, and put them in the container they have supplied.

“We just see it as an extension of choice for the mother. If a mother wants a home birth, we do our best to provide that and if a mother wants us to collect stem cells we do that as well.”

He said the hospital was aware this policy differed from other hospitals, and said parents had to sign a disclaimer with clauses removing liability. This includes a clause stating the health of the mother and baby was the priority and cells would not be collected if a life was in danger.

* Are you considering storing your baby’s stem cells? Do you think all parents should be given the option to store stem cells?Write to Bromley Extra, River House, Maidstone Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 5RH or e-mail bromleyextra@thekmgroup.co.uk or call reporter Vicki Kellaway on 0208 308 7401.